Heavy rain dumped a total of 50.2mm on parts of Maun this week and Wednesday’s big storm alone accounted for more than 42mm of rain. The Boseja Kubung kgotla and clinic were damaged by rain and high winds. There was widespread damage throughout the region. Maun Clinic was earlier in the week (pictured) hit by falling trees which smashed roofs and other parts of the building, including the maternity ward. No one was injured. Wednesday’s storm flooded businesses, including the Spar Delta supermarket in Maun, shops in the Old Mall, and homes over a wide area. Many roads were rendered impassable.

This year’s flooding of the Okavango River and delta could be massive judging from the amount of water that has already been recorded. Heavy and consistent rains in the Angolan eastern highlands – which are continuing - has seen river levels at Rundu, in Namibia, rise to 7.46 metres compared to the 2009 figure of 5.17 metres.

Latest levels show a rise of more than 8cm at Rundu since January 29 and 10cm at Mohembo – where the level that day was 2.53 metres.

The figures for Rundu are 3 metres higher than is normal for a January 29 recording - on Friday it stood at 7.14 m after reaching 7 metres the day before due to heavy rains in the Nkurenkuru area.

This year’s flood, widely expected to come down the Thamalakane River through Maun in about May, could be bigger than the 2009 event, which saw huge amounts of water flooding surrounding farmlands and residential areas.

For the first time in years it also resulted in high inflows into Lake Ngami and the Boteti River.

Meanwhile at Kongola, on the banks of the Kwando River on the northern Botswana-Namibia border, water levels are standing at 3.06 metres, slightly less than last year. The Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo was 2.19 metres higher this week and steadily rising - the normal January figure is 1.48 metres.

The normally bone dry Savuti channels are also overflowing, with the marsh channels expected to contain water for at least six months. Water is almost surrounding the Savuti Scout camp.

DAILY FLOOD REPORT 03 MARCH 2010



Today’s riverlevel readings for the border rivers:



River
Site
03 March 2010 (TODAY)
Change since yesterday
03 March normal
03 March 2009 (ONE YEAR AGO)

Zambezi
Katima Mulilo
5.30 m
13 cm up
2.96 m
5.36 m

Kwando
Kongola
no reading
-
2.54 m
3.16 m

Kavango

Okavango
Rundu
5.60 m
1 cm down
5.75 m
6.44 m

Mohembo (*)
2.30 m
4 cm down
-
-

Fish
Seeheim
0.10 m
2 cm down
-
-

AiAis
0.11 m
1 cm down
-
-

Orange
Katlani (**)
3.12 m
19 cm down
-
-

Vioolsdrift (**)
0.76 m
2 cm down
-
-

Cuvelai
Shahaingu (***)
0.31 m
1 cm down
-
-

Engela (***)
0.04 m
1 cm up
-
-

Shanalumono
0.49 m
no change
-
1.14 m

Endola (***)
0.38 m
1 cm up
-
-

Okatana (***)
1.02 m
1 cm up
-
-

Oshakati Sky Bridge
0.38 m
2 cm up



Oshakato Onkandjengendi
0.13 m
6 cm up



Ompundja
0.41 m
(no reading)
-
-


(*) by courtesy DWA Botswana – Mohembo is just downstream Botswana-Namibia border

(**) by courtesy DWA South Africa – Katlani is at Orange/Vaal confluence – Vioolsdrift is diversion weir opposite side of Noordoewer

(***) new stations in Cuvelai have arbitrary datum for zero, and levels may be offset to flow depths

Yesterday’s ZRA riverlevel readings indicated that the upstream flood in the Zambezi River started to subside at Chavuma, but MeteoSat images showed the re-appearance of heavy rains in the same area.

Light to good rains were reported in parts of the Cuvelai area in Namibia: There is still no widespread flooding from Angola.