Africa-Press – Namibia. RISING floodwaters along the Zambezi River are expected to significantly impact communities, wildlife, and tourism in north-eastern Namibia, particularly in the Zambezi Region, as unusually early and intense flooding spreads across the area.
This follows heavy rainfall in upstream countries including Angola and Zambia, which has caused a surge of water flowing through the Zambezi system into Namibia. According to tourism operator and Chobe Holdings Vice Chairman Jonathan Gibson, water levels at Katima Mulilo have already risen dramatically, with the river swelling by several metres.
The influx of water is spilling across the low-lying plains of the Zambezi Region—formerly known as the Caprivi Strip—where flooding is expected to intensify in the coming weeks. Authorities may be required to relocate communities and livestock from vulnerable areas to higher ground as conditions worsen.
Gibson added that the flooding, which is occurring earlier than usual and has not been seen at this scale in over a decade, is part of a broader regional system. Water flowing through Namibia is also feeding into the Chobe River, affecting both Namibia and neighbouring Botswana.
While the floods pose logistical and humanitarian challenges, particularly for settlements in flood-prone areas, they are also a natural seasonal process that replenishes ecosystems. The influx of water helps to rejuvenate river systems, deposit nutrient-rich silt across floodplains, and sustain grazing areas once waters recede.
However, the impact on tourism infrastructure is expected to be significant. Flooded roads and reduced access routes may disrupt travel and limit activities such as game drives in affected areas, potentially affecting tourism operations across the region.
Despite these challenges, Jonathan Gibson said that wildlife typically adapts to seasonal flooding patterns, with animals migrating to higher ground or across borders as water levels rise.
With peak flood levels still weeks away, authorities and communities in Namibia’s north-eastern regions are expected to remain on high alert as the situation continues to develop.
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