Heavy rainfall and floodwaters have trapped many people in their homes and cattle posts in Uuvudhiya, located in the Oshana Region.

Floodplains in the Uuvudhiya Constituency have become impassable on foot, forcing villagers to rely on donkey carts, small boats, and four-wheel-drive vehicles to reach their destinations.

Roads are submerged at various points, making it difficult for cars to pass, and many vehicles have been left on high ground.

Donkey carts have become the primary means of transportation.

"Even those transporting people with donkey carts are now charging fares, requiring individuals to pay out of pocket for transport from place to place," noted one villager.

Uuvudhiya Councillor Timotheus Shivute is urging the government to expedite the construction of access roads and proper bridges leading to Uuvudhiya.

"Cars are now stuck, and people are struggling. Currently, they are using a road called Onatuni-Onkani. Just imagine, traveling from Uuvudhiya to Oshakati requires a round trip of about 180 kilometers, and passengers are being charged exorbitant fees."

The disaster risk management team has provided boats and life jackets to help people navigate the floodplain.

The Ministry of Defence has also promised to provide a helicopter for emergency situations.

Ten schools in the Oshana Region have reportedly closed temporarily as students find it difficult to cross the floodplains.

Additionally, some mahangu fields have been submerged, raising concerns among subsistence farmers about their harvests.

A resident of Oshaanda, Dozee, expressed his distress: "My homestead is completely submerged. In my 29 years here, I have never seen so much water. My mahangu field is also under water, and my watermelons and other produce are rotting. We do not expect a harvest. On the positive side, as always, the floodwaters have brought fish."