Staff Reporter
NINETY-SIX hikers, including a group of school children, are believed to be trapped in the Fish River Canyon following heavy rainfall and rising water levels, prompting the Namibian Police and Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) to launch a rescue operation.
Kharas Police Regional Commander Commissioner Marius Katamila said police received reports from farmers along the Fish River and the regional manager of NWR that hikers inside the canyon were unable to leave due to flooding.
Katamila said nine hiking groups, comprising a total of 96 people, were affected by the rising water levels caused by recent rainfall, worsened by the opening of the Naute Dam sluice gates and the overflowing of the Neckartal Dam.
“The water levels in the canyon have raised as a result of the rain for the last few days and, moreover, to make it worse, Naute Dam sluices were opened yesterday and we are also having the Neckartal Dam overflowing,” he said.
The Namibian Police have deployed two teams from Keetmanshoop, including members of the Special Reserve Force, to Hobas and Ai-Ais to assist with the rescue efforts.
A Namibian Police Air Support Services helicopter has also been deployed to Hobas and is conducting aerial operations to locate and evacuate hikers from the canyon.
Katamila said the operation was complicated by the lack of exact coordinates for all hikers, adding that reports indicated a group of school children may also be among those stranded.
“Operations are up and running and the rescue mission is in progress,” he said.
A spokesperson on the ground said 14 people had already been evacuated on Sunday, while several larger groups remained stranded in higher-lying areas after the flooding.
Rescue teams are working to evacuate all remaining hikers before additional water from the Naute Dam reaches the canyon.
NWR announced yesterday the temporary closure of the Fish River Hike due to safety concerns caused by heavy rainfall in the Naute Dam catchment area and the opening of the dam’s sluice gates.
“The Fish River Hike is therefore closed with immediate effect and will remain closed until further notice,” NWR said, urging members of the public to stay away from the trail until conditions are declared safe.
Some hikers who managed to exit the canyon shared their experiences on social media, describing heavy rain, challenging conditions and appreciation for their fellow hikers during the ordeal.
One hiker said their group experienced continuous rain during the hike but remained grateful for the support and teamwork among members.
Another hiker described the conditions as severe but praised the group’s determination, saying they would continue walking despite the difficult weather.
AJ Human, a member of the “I hiked the Fish River Canyon” group, said they had managed to exit the canyon in time and that NWR was arranging transport for hikers waiting at Ai-Ais Resort.
Photo: Contributed
