Rainstorm trashes Molepolole
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday December 13, 2019 14:35
In desperate attempts to block the raging waters from inundating their houses, some pilled sand at the home entrances. However residents’ efforts were somewhat in vain as the water made its way through. In other homes, the floods left chickens dead and swept away gardens.
Fifteen households with a total 96 individuals were affected and food rations were supplied to them including two tents.
“Twenty-eight family members were evacuated from their water-logged homes to their relatives in Borakalalo ward. One victim was injured and traumatised and was attended to at Scottish Livingstone and immediately discharged. Fifty broilers and 15 Tswana-bred chicken projects funded by the government’s Poverty Eradication flooded, drowning chickens got killed at Ntloolengwane ward. Also 250 chickens, funded under the Women Economic Empowerment programme (Gender Affairs Department), perished to the disaster at Newtown,” District Commissioner, Innocent Maotwe said in an interview.
Maotwe said he was waiting for Red Cross donations to give some of the affected families clothes and blankets but there were no casualties nor deaths recorded.
Some residents had to seek refuge at safer places where they could be able to sleep. One, One Samapipi said the water mostly came from the graveyard.
“We used blankets and sand to try to block the water. Council officials have not visited us and we are still waiting for them. This problem always arises during rainy time. Council has only tried to make stream in order to divert water, but that has not helped because when the stream gets full, it spills to our homes,” Samapipi said.
She said the floods eroded top soil from their homes leaving potholes. John Pebe said: “These floods have affected us badly. Our house was fortunate because it is facing the other side. Some of our items have gone missing. It looks like floods carried away the goods. The District Commissioner and councillor came to us, but they said they will assess the situation to either move us, or see how we could be assisted”.
Kweneng District Council (KDC) chairperson Leo Motlhophi decried poor stormwater drainage in the Bakwena capital.
“Most yards are badly affected. The problem arises during rainy times and I understand council has requested government to look into the matter. It is true we were forced to move some families because their houses were flooded. Council has started to buy food and clothes for the affected families. Disaster Management committee is assessing them and the damage caused by floods,” Motlhophi said.