Heavy rains received on Saturday have left many houses surrounded by water at the Ehenye residential area in Oshakati, Oshana Region.

The pools of water in the yards are making it difficult for residents to move to and from their homes, while those with sedans have to look for parking elsewhere because their cars could be submerged.

Residents are furious, and they are blaming the Oshakati Town Council for allocating them plots in a flood-prone area that they say was not properly planned.

They say the Ehenye residences are located in the middle of an oshana, and professional surveying was supposed to be undertaken before the formalisation and construction of houses.

The residents argue that Ehenye lacks a proper drainage system and has insufficient stormwater channels, leading to water stagnation in yards.

Some residents allege that despite their repeated letters to the Oshakati Town Council to address the flooding of houses at Ehenye, their appeal went unanswered.

People are now worried that if the downpour continues in the coming days, the water will enter their houses and cause damage to their properties.

In response, Oshakati Town Council's Public Relations Officer, Katarina Kamari, said the council is aware of the situation, which has unfortunately affected the whole town, not only Ehenye.

She said despite the council's efforts to allocate funds for the construction of stormwater channels around the town and elevate roads, budgetary constraints remain a challenge.