Yangtze River Flood (1931)
of Nellie Bly's Most Sensational Stories
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2008 Namibia floods Add languages Article Talk Read Edit View history From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2008 Namibia floods took place in early February 2008, a rapid onset of heavy rains triggered floods in northern Namibia, leading to one of its worst floods in 50 years.[1] The floods had killed 42 people by early March[2] and an estimated 65,000 people were affected, primarily in the regions of Omusati, Oshikoto, Oshana, Ohangwena and Caprivi.[3] 40,000 people were assisted by the Namibian Red Cross[1] with 4,600 in relocation camps.[4] Over-crowding and insanitary conditions caused health concerns in relocation camps[3][5] and an outbreak of cholera was announced in March.[5] On 14 March, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs triggered the International Charter for "Space and Major Disasters".[6] Staple crops were devastated and 52,000 people from flood-affected areas were considered in need of immediate of assistance to cover their basic food needs.[7][page needed] Deputy Prime Minister Libertine Amathila declared that the government would spend 65 million Namibian dollars to assist the displaced.[8] Long-term impacts included damage to farmland, housing, schools, roads and infrastructure across the region.[7][page needed] The floods reduced the resilience of the population who were left vulnerable to further flooding which occurred in 2009.[9] Background[edit] The floods hit the northern Namibian regions of Omusati, Oshikoto, Oshana, Ohangwena, and Caprivi.[7][page needed] These regions are the most densely populated in the nation with an estimated 859,975 people, almost half of the total population.[7][page needed] Northern Namibia has a semi-arid climate with high temperatures.[10] The rain patterns are unpredictable, with varying amounts and timing, although the rainy season tends to fall from November to April.[10] The majority of the people living in the rural areas of northern Namibia rely on subsistence farming, but the poor soil, largely composed of clay and sand mixture, is not ideal for crop production. This results in high levels of chronic food insecurity in these regions.[7][page needed][11] These threats are exacerbated by poor health outcomes, as large swaths of the population do not have access to adequate medical services.[7][page needed] HIV/AIDS is especially prevalent in the area, with an estimated 23% of Namibians aged 15 to 49 testing HIV-positive.[7][page needed] Immediate Impacts[edit] Download 387.8 Kb. Share with your friends:
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