25 Apr 2020

Residents residing in areas situated in the Okavango Delta have been advised to relocate since their areas will be affected by floods.

Department of Water Affairs station manager, Mr Kutlo Kgobero, said in an interview on Friday that they were expecting floods soon and some areas in the delta such as Khwai, Mababe, Ditshiping would be affected.

The advice came after his visit to the delta to appreciate, gauge and assess the water flow and level at water affairs' Bukwe station situated at the delta. 

Mr Kgobero explained that normally during floods season, residents in the affected areas should relocate to other places. He said floods were only experienced in some areas because of the landscape.

In Maun, he said the possibilities of floods were slim since Thamalakane River was deep, adding that Lake Ngami and surrounding areas were free from floods.

Mr Kgobero also appealed to the community to look after their natural resources to ensure they maintain the beauty. He said it was worrisome for some people to undertake some projects that ended up contaminating the river.

He said some people, who ventured into farming along the river, used fertilisers that he said might pollute the river.

Water engineer in the Department of Water Affairs in Maun, Mr Tshidiso Mokgwaela urged residents to desist from establishing channels, which diverted water to their farms saying that  disturbed the water flow pattern.

However, he revealed that the water flow had increased as it was flowing at a pace of one kilometre in 10 hours, which meant it would reach Maun in 20 days.

Mr Mokgwaela said the water flow was 46km away from Maun and roughly 26km away from Boro.  Although, he mentioned that there were some contributing factors which could disturb the flow such as streams from the main channels as well as flood plains that caused back flow.

He appreciated that the speed of water flow was high from the source, Mohembo River and found the delta dry, adding that other factors such as infiltration, evaporation and wildlife also disturbed the flow. BOPA