Lindsay Dentlinger
28 January 2004
Windhoek — THE Okavango River has been rising steadily, by some seven centimetres a day, since the weekend.
Yesterday NamWater measured the water depth at 7,53 metres - it measured 7,46 m on Monday.
Although it is not unusual for the water level to reach seven metres, this usually happens only around April.
This time last year, the river was running at 4,7 metres.
The current levels are the highest reached since 2000.
In April 2001, the river reached a depth of 7,4 m.
At present the water level is not far off one of its highest levels ever - 7,62 m, measured in April 1992.
On Friday NamWater warned about the possibility of flooding but as of yesterday only lodges built very close to the river had been affected by the swelling waters, and then only slightly.
Manager of the Shamvura Restcamp, Mauro Rosa, said it was not unusual for river waters to encroach on lodges in the area and to flood roads leading to them.
Municipal officials say the rising river is not yet threatening the town but warnings have been issued about the possibility of more crocodiles swimming towards the urban area.
Rundu Municipality's Human Resources Officer, Herman Haingura, said that, while the water had flooded a small part of the popular recreational area, Rundu Beach, it was still possible to visit the area.
"It is not so severe, people can still do their usual things. If we get more rain, we might have some problems. But the town is not affected".
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