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Namibia declares state of emergency as drought persists

Xinhua, June 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

Namibia has declared a state of emergency for the second time in three years because of a persistent drought.

President Hage Geingob issued a proclamation Wednesday, three years after a similar proclamation was issued.

"I declare that a State of Emergency exists in Namibia on account of the persisting national disaster of drought that exists in all the regions," the proclamation reads.

Although it is not clear how many people need drought relief, the Namibian Red Cross Society said on June 17 that there are more than 500, 000 affected.

The government has not given any details about the budget for drought relief although the Prime Minister's Office said from August 2015 to May 2016, they budgeted 900 million Namibian dollars (60 million U.S. dollars).

The red cross society has, however, said it needs 14 million Namibian dollars for its drought relief, with its head of disaster management, Bruce Siyambango, telling the media that they managed to raise only 15 percent of this amount from international donors. Endit