Staff Reporter
A number of the country’s rivers, particularly in the north, have seen a rise in water levels over the past week amid widespread rainfall.
According to the Hydrological Services of Namibia, the Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo continues to rise gradually, with the water level increasing by 4 centimetres (cm) from 1.73 metres (m) on Tuesday, 4 March 2025, to 1.77 m on Wednesday, 5 March 2025. This is also higher than the 1.46m recorded last Wednesday, 26 February 2025, as well as the 1.66m recorded at the same time last year.
Meanwhile, the water level of the Okavango River at Rundu decreased slightly from 7.09 m to 7 m between Tuesday and Wednesday. However, the river’s water level has risen since last week Wednesday, 26 February 2025, when it stood at 6.78 m. The current level is also higher than it was on 5 March last year, when it stood at 5.61 m.
The Hydrological Services also reported that the Lower Orange River at Blouputs saw a slight decrease from 0.60 m to 0.58 m between Tuesday and Wednesday. However, the river has risen since last Wednesday, when it was at 0.48 m.
In contrast, the Lower Orange River at Sendelingsdrift has experienced a consistent decline in water levels, dropping from 0.47 m on 26 February 2025 to 0.39 m on both 4 and 5 March 2025.
Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to continue across most parts of the country until 10 March 2025, with the exception of the coastal areas. The Hydrological Services of Namibia has therefore issued a warning, advising the public to remain cautious, especially in flood-prone northern regions.
“Given the forecast of normal to above-normal rains, it is highly advisable to activate contingency plans for flood risk mitigation and recovery in the flood-prone northern, northeastern and far northeastern parts of Namibia,” the Hydrological Services urged.
