Flooding and persistent rainfall expected

Inhabitants and travellers to the north, central and western parts of the country are cautioned to be on high alert for persistent rainfall and possible flooding.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, through its Hydrological Services department, on Tuesday announced its satellite images as captured on 22 March to 30 March 2022 indicate good rainfall that increase inflows at the Zambezi, Okavango, Orange and Kunene rivers.

“The Orange River already recorded an increase in water levels from 2.45-metre depth as from 15 March this year to 2.65 metres on Tuesday morning,” stated the ministry.

The Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo is rapidly on the rise, recording about 4.04-metre depth on 15 March 2022 to 4.69 metres on Tuesday, the statement said, adding that the same river also started overflowing a week ago, and continues to push the water towards the eastern direction of the Zambezi floodplains.

“Flood alerts and readiness is advised for the inhabitants close to the Zambezi floodplains,” reads the statement.

For the Okavango River at Rundu in the Kavango East region, a 5.49-metre depth of water was recorded on 15 March 2022, which increased on Tuesday (22 March 2022) to 5.58 metres.

The Kunene River flows at Ruacana also increased from 103.20 cubic metres on 15 March to 129.5 cubic metres on Tuesday.

Water flows were also observed in the Cuvelai in northern Namibia due to the local rainfalls received a week ago.

“Good rainfall continues to be recorded in Angola since Tuesday last week, therefore, communities should be on high alert for possible flooding until the end of this month,” reads the statement.