Heavy rain destroyed houses at the Visually Impaired Center in Sauyema, at Rundu.

The heavy rain, accompanied by wind, started at around 06h00 on Thursday.

Residents say they were in their rooms sheltering from the rain when all of a sudden a branch of a tree fell on the rooftop. 

A resident says the wind was too strong and it kept getting worse, we just heard a loud sound, I really don't know if it was lightning that struck the tree. We got scared I even went under my bed for safety. I share a room with my auntie Dominga and at that time she said the tree fell on her.

Shivute says, luckily, the matron came to their rescue and guided them to the kitchen.

One of the residents, Dominga Lumayi was hit by a branch of a tree.

There are 14 visually impaired learners at the center.

Following the incident, learners will now share the remaining three corrugated iron sheet rooms. 

The Head of the Center, Andreas Johannes, has called on good Samaritans to help them fix the house.

"My request on the Namibian people is to assist, kindly help with anything, the house is damaged and some of our learners don't have good accommodation right now. Right now, we are just mixed, and some are squeezed in the three or two houses that we have. I am humbly requesting that any good Samaritan in Namibia can help us with anything.”

Johannes says the tree that is used as a classroom has to unfortunately be removed, for fear that it might cause harm to the learners.