(Updated) Namibia – Floods in Windhoek After 3 Months’ Worth of Rain in 24 Hours

by in Africa, News

Update, 16 December 2022:

Local media later reported that the bodies of 2 street children who were swept away by floods were found near Goreangab dam by joint Nampol and City of Windhoek emergency services. Eleven street kids were missing yesterday after heavy rains, but 8 were found safe.

Original report, 15 December 2022:

Flooding damaged buildings and swept away vehicles in the city of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, on 15 December 2022 after 3 months’ worth of rain fell in 24 hours.

Several buildings were damaged, including a Police Station in Otjomuise and the Wernhill Park shopping centre. Dozens of cars parked in the shopping centre were flooded.

Local media reported fast-flowing rivers have caused havoc in the suburbs and informal areas of the city.

Videos shared on Social Media showed a man in raging flood waters clinging to a tree. Several vehicles were reported swept away by flooding rivers or trapped in river beds.

The city of Windhoek recorded 95 mm of rain fell in 24 hours to 15 December 2022. The Mean Total Rainfall for December is just over 30 mm according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Earlier heavy rain fell in the ǁKaras Region in the south of the country. The settlement of Aroab recorded 37.6mm of rain between 10 and 11 December, and 31mm of rain between 11 and 12 December.

Severe weather has affected areas of the Ohangwena Region in the north of the country. Tragedy struck on 14 December when 5 people died in a burning house in Oneifiyo village, Epembe Constituency. The house caught fire after it was struck by lightning.

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