250 people trapped in Majaela ploughing fields
About 130 to 250 people were this week Tuesday stuck at Majaela Ploughing fields in Khurumela ward as floods swept through the Palapye District continuing a trend that began since the festive season.
“The ploughing fields are housed between two dams and the walls of those dams have broken due to flooding and now people are trapped there”, Council Chairman, Kabo Ketshogile told this publication.
Ketshogile revealed that they have asked the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) for assistance. He said they remain hopeful that they will be able to assist the people and contain the situation.
He said that a helicopter will be ideal to deal with the situation. “There is no how we can access the place. We cannot go in or go out. That is why we have now opted for assistance from the BDF”, the council chairman said.
Ketshogile said that the situation is getting worse each day as many villages in the district have been affected leaving many families stranded.
Ketshogile who has been touring the district with other officials including council secretary and District Commissioner expressed concern that the situation is getting out of control especially in Palapye and neighbouring villages.
“I visited Kgagodi, Diloro, Maokatumo, Ratholo villages and Palapye. The other villages that were affected are Mokgware, Mogapinyana but I managed to send the Council’s Social and Community Development Department (S&CD) officers to access. The most affected village was Palapye because of Lotsane river is flooding almost every day”, the Council Chairman said.
According to Ketshogile those close to the river were relocated to schools and later to families as schools were not conducive.
“We provided trucks from Councils to relocate them and helped some families with food baskets from all these affected villages”, he added.
Ketshogile indicated that office of District Commissioner provided the families with shelter after assessment by Council’s S&CD personnel.