Staff Reporter
RECENT showers have touched various regions, and the impact can be seen in the country’s rivers.
The southern rivers, in particular, have been brought back to life recently. This can be seen in a video shared by Facebook user Frikkie Schutte, which showed that rivers between Mariental and Aroab are flowing with renewed intensity.
The Löwen River in the //Kharas Region is also among the rivers that have been revived following recent showers, as is the Orange River. According to the Hydrological Services of Namibia, the Orange River at Blouputs increased from 0.40 m last Tuesday to 2.25 m this Tuesday.
Videos: contributed and Facebook (Frikkie Schutte).
The Hydrological Services of Namibia warned that water levels on the Lower Orange River are forecast to rise further in the coming days. Communities along the Lower Orange River are therefore advised to remain cautious. The Hydrological Services called for the activation of appropriate flood prevention and preparedness measures.
Some southern dams have also experienced slight increases in water levels. According to the Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater), the Naute and Neckartal dams rose from 74.5 % and 96 % capacity last Monday to 79.5 % and 96.6 % this Monday, respectively.
However, recent showers were not limited to the south, and while Monday saw less intense rainfall compared to the weekend, several regions still recorded measurable rain.
Some parts of Windhoek, such as Pioneers Park, recorded as much as 20 mm of rain between Monday and Tuesday morning, while other parts of the capital recorded only around 8 mm.
In the Otjozondjupa Region, Grootfontein and Otjiwarongo recorded 7.8 mm and 2 mm of rain on Monday, after consistently seeing notable showers. In the north, Ondangwa recorded 4 mm of rain on Monday, and Emilienhof recorded 15 mm. Omitara in the Omaheke Region also saw some rainfall, recording 7 mm on Monday, while Poortje near Gobabis recorded 12 mm of rain.
According to the Hydrological Services of Namibia, more rainfall is expected in the interior parts of the country on Wednesday. Communities are advised not to cross flooded rivers or streams and to take necessary precautionary measures to ensure their safety.
