Damaraland flash floods alert

TRAVELLERS planning to use the Palmwag-Sesfontein road in the Kunene Region should exercise great care, as flash floods in the Hoanib and Skelm rivers pose a serious risk to unwary motorists, Sesfontein councillor Hendrik Gaobaeb warned yesterday.

The road between Palmwag and Sesfontein is one of the most popular tourist routes in Namibia, leading to the scenic Kaokoland and its Himba people. Thousands of self-drive tourists use this road, and they especially are at risk, Gaobaeb said.”The road is dry and there is a lot of dust but the rivers are full,” Goabaeb said from Sesfontein yesterday.”Motorists run the risk of driving into these rivers in full flood because they won’t see the water in time because they are driving in another car’s dust.”He said heavy rains in the Grootberg and Hobatere areas have seen these rivers in constant flood since the end of January.These flash floods have badly washed out the road leading through these rivers, which means that normal sedan vehicles will not be able to get through.While no serious incidents have been reported yet, the risk was that a “soft car” – one not equipped with all-wheel drive – could get stuck in rivers, and then get hit by flash floods originating far way, Gaobaeb cautioned.In one of those ironic twists of Namibia’s weather, many Kunene communities were ravaged by the preceding drought last year, and now cannot be reached because of the floods, he added.The flooding of the Hoanib and Skelm (which means “stealthy” in Afrikaans) rivers have led to a delay in the delivery of drought aid of maize, fish and cooking oil to needy communities in the area, he said.”We would like to appeal to our people to be patient, we will get the food to them as soon as the worst flooding has stopped,” he said.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587Thousands of self-drive tourists use this road, and they especially are at risk, Gaobaeb said.”The road is dry and there is a lot of dust but the rivers are full,” Goabaeb said from Sesfontein yesterday.”Motorists run the risk of driving into these rivers in full flood because they won’t see the water in time because they are driving in another car’s dust.”He said heavy rains in the Grootberg and Hobatere areas have seen these rivers in constant flood since the end of January.These flash floods have badly washed out the road leading through these rivers, which means that normal sedan vehicles will not be able to get through.While no serious incidents have been reported yet, the risk was that a “soft car” – one not equipped with all-wheel drive – could get stuck in rivers, and then get hit by flash floods originating far way, Gaobaeb cautioned.In one of those ironic twists of Namibia’s weather, many Kunene communities were ravaged by the preceding drought last year, and now cannot be reached because of the floods, he added.The flooding of the Hoanib and Skelm (which means “stealthy” in Afrikaans) rivers have led to a delay in the delivery of drought aid of maize, fish and cooking oil to needy communities in the area, he said.”We would like to appeal to our people to be patient, we will get the food to them as soon as the worst flooding has stopped,” he said.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587