Hopalong Mokhopi/Mosoatsi Mosoatsi
THE Disaster Management Authority (DMA) has warned people living in low lying areas of the possibility of floods in the 2022/23 rainy season.
The warning by the DMA comes in the wake of a recent forecast by the Lesotho Meteorology Services (LMS) that heavy rains were expected until March next year.
However, the DMA did not say which areas were most likely to be affected and the exact dates during which floods were expected.
“The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently in its La Nina phase and projected to remain so for the period October 2022 to March 2013,” the LMS said in a recent statement.
As a result of this, the 2022/23 rainfall is likely to be influenced by La Nina (cooling in the Equatorial Eastern Pacific Ocean) which is associated with enhanced rains over Lesotho.
El Niño is a periodic climatic phenomenon characterised by inadequate rain in some parts of the world and floods in others. It used to occur in varying degrees of severity after every five years, but since the 1990s, it has become more frequent due to global warming.
And the DMA has warned people living in valleys and low-lying areas to temporarily evacuate their homes to avoid possible mudslides and floods.
DMA acting CEO, ‘Makhotso Mahosi, said they were working on plans to resettle such people.
“We are working on logistics to move them to safe places,” Ms Mahosi said.
In a statement this week, Ms Mahosi said heavy rains which fell in parts of the country late last month destroyed more than 100 houses in Berea, Maseru and Mafeteng districts.
Just in October alone, about 80 houses had their roofs blown off by violent rains in Berea while in Maseru 15 houses were damaged. Ten other houses in Maseru were in danger of collapsing, she said.
The heavy rains also hit Mafeteng, but the DMA was yet to quantify the number of families affected, she said.
The Authority recently provided the affected families with mattresses, blankets, pillows, clothes, food, and toiletries. These cost M140 000.
Ms Mahosi also advised the public against crossing flooded rivers.
“We also advise people to avoid bathing in rivers as they might be swept away,” she said.
Those living on steep slopes should build walls around their properties to block falling rocks.
Motorists should resist the temptation of crossing heavy flowing rivers, especially where there are low bridges.
Falling poles should be reported to the power utility, the Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC) and the relevant mobile network companies, she said.
The public should also install tanks in their yards to trap rainwater, Ms Mahosi said.
She advised farmers to dig farrows in their fields to reduce soil erosion.
