05 Mar 2018

Recent heavy rains in the Northern part of Botswana have resulted in eight huts collapsing in Masingwaneng.

Masingwaneng recorded 150mm of rain, which was one of the highest recordings in North East District this raining season.

In an interview, Masingwaneng VDC chairperson, Ms Kebifetswe Modikwa stated that they had not experienced such heavy rains in a very long time.

Ms Modikwa said no one was injured adding that the district disaster management office also came to assess the damages.

She noted that the affected households were assisted with tents from the disaster management office for temporary accommodation.

The chairperson further indicated that the access roads connecting Masingwaneng to Makaleng was affected as the drifts were swept off by the heavy rains.

She said they had to go to Mambo first in order to access Makaleng, which she said caused a lot of delays especially for children who attend school in Pelaelo Junior Secondary School.

Nevertheless, Ms Modikwa said North East District was blessed to have big rivers and tributaries that could sweep water naturally to dams quickly after a heavy pour.

She said had it not been because of those rivers the rains would have caused floods and more damage.

She further stated that due to the heavy rains, some residents could not utilise the extra week ending February 26 that was added for ploughing.

The chairperson said those people who ploughed during the first rains in November would reap better yields.

She said those who ploughed in January had incurred a lot of losses due to the scorching sun that burnt the seeds on the ground.

She highlighted that delays in ploughing were caused by the fact that the village had only two tractors that serviced the whole village.

Ms Modikwa noted that some people opted to use donkeys for ploughing to avoid the long wait for tractors.

One of the victims whose house collapsed, Ms Elder Mambo said she was grateful for the assistance from the Disaster Management office and the social workers.

She said two of her huts collapsed in the morning when she was preparing her children for school.

She stated that they were currently sleeping in the two tents given to them adding that they were planning to build a permanent structure. ENDS