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CoW distances itself from flash flood damages as O&L counts cost

December 15, 2022
CoW distances itself from flash flood damages as O&L counts cost

The City of Windhoek maintains it does not bear any responsibility for damages caused by the flooding that occurred in the City on Wednesday.

This comes after heavy rainfall caused flash flooding in many parts of the City as the drainage infrastructure failed to cope with the massive volumes of water, a development that left some buildings damaged.

“Not at all, the water has been moved out of the City. The problem is we cannot predict the rains, we cannot predict climate change. The rain of yesterday was unprecedented. When last have you seen the rain of yesterday? The capacity of the drainage system is there to take normal rain not [the] rain of yesterday that has never been seen before, so, definitely it [drainage system] was stressed. 

“The rain also came with sand that was overflowing and blocking some systems. If you look in the roads there are damaged interlocks. It is just a matter of the flash floods that was unprecedented they came out down in a short period of time and the capacity of the drainage system would not take it,” CoW Spokesperson Harold Akwenye told The Brief.

He said the City was busy unblocking drains that were blocked by the floods, while assessing the full extent of the flood.

“The emergency and disaster management unit are on the ground assessing and seeing where the damages are and seeing where the overflows were and trying to clear where the systems were blocked so we are doing all those things in order to make sure if the rain comes down again the water will run freely. Remember, you and I, if we clean our yards, we are lazy to take the garbage to the dumpsite, we open a manhole and put the garbage in there. What does it mean? It blocks the draining system so you and I are also to be blamed, and then come back and blame CoW. Also take responsibility. All those small things play a role,” he said.

On the concerns over the quality of buildings in the City, of which some have been damaged by the heavy rain, Akwenye said, “CoW standards are right but we do not count/measure the amount of cement you are using. If you are supposed to use five bags of cement but instead  you only use one, what are you doing to the infrastructure, it is going to come out cheaper. For example, the apartments whose roofs have been blown away. CoW does not say what material/cement to use it is not our responsibility. It is you the owner and the guy that builds for you. One chooses the quality for themselves; CoW just comes and sees if it is according to the standards, but not the material.”

Meanwhile , the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, owners of the Wernhil Shopping Mall, which was flooded due to the heavy rain, blamed the stormwater system for failing to handle the heavy rains as it moves with the evaluation of the damages caused to the mall.

“Just behind Wernhil, there’s an entire canal through which the bulk of the CBD’s stormwater is channeled and it is believed that the flooding was caused when the stormwater system could not handle the pressure of the water flow. At this stage it is not possible to give accurate verified figures in relation to the full extent of the infrastructure damage. 

 

“We have managed to evacuate all shoppers and tenants on the ground floor of the mall. As stated, the damage will only be determined after a full assessment and verification,” said O&L Spokesperson and Group Manager for Corporate Relations Roux-ché Locke.

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Last modified on Monday, 19 December 2022 14:59
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