Intense thunderstorm hits Aranos, leaving 200 residents displaced

Staff Reporter AN intense thunderstorm struck Aranos in the Hardap Region on Tuesday, leaving several residents injured and displaced, while also causing significant property damage in the southern town. According to the Ministry of Information in the Hardap Region, Aranos recorded approximately 30 millimetres (mm) of rain on Tuesday, accompanied by extremely strong winds. The severe weather damaged between 60 and 70 homes — some suffered roof damage, while others were completely destroyed. THUNDERSTORMS: Photos and videos of recent rainfall. Photos: Aranos Town Council and Facebook (MICT Hardap Region, Rus En Vrede Safaris, John Lucas, Rheta Kruger Smeer, F.J Visser). “About 200 residents have been displaced, with the local church providing temporary shelter. Minor injuries were treated at the hospital, and slight damage was reported at some schools, including the private Jesus Centre. The Hardap Regional Council has dispatched a team from the Disaster Risk Management Unit to conduct an assessment,” the Ministry of Information in the Hardap Region revealed. Aranos was not the only area affected by recent thunderstorms, though the town experienced the most severe conditions. On a lighter note, several areas across the country — from the northern to the southern regions — have experienced light to moderate rainfall, and in some cases, hail. Towns such as Tsumeb in the Oshikoto Region, Otavi in the Otjozondjupa Region, Gobabis in the Omaheke Region, and Stampriet in the Hardap Region all reported rainfall. Gobabis also saw some hail. This follows a recent forecast by the Namibia Meteorological Service, which predicted widespread showers across much of the country. More rainfall is expected today in all the mentioned regions, and possibly in parts of the Khomas Region as well.