The South African authorities have decided to temporarily close the Kruger National Park for day visits. The reason for this was prolonged torrential rains, which led to rivers overflowing their banks and flooding key road arteries of the reserve. This is reported by Reuters, writes UNN.
Details
The most difficult situation is observed in the area of the Letaba River. The park administration (SANParks) carried out an urgent evacuation of staff and guests from the Letaba rest camp, as water entered directly into the residential areas. The Phalaborwa, Pafuri, and Punda Maria gates were also closed, effectively cutting off access to the northern part of the park.
This water is moving very fast. We are closing access for 24 hours and will be closely monitoring developments.
According to him, the situation remains tense, as meteorologists have announced the highest, red level of danger.
Fate of animals and tourists
Despite the critical water level, experts reassure about the condition of the wild fauna. The park management notes that animals have natural instincts that allow them to move to higher areas in time. Footage from the scene shows hippos calmly swimming between the tops of flooded trees.
Tourists who are already in hotels in safe areas were allowed to stay, but they were warned about movement restrictions. In particular, bridges over the Sabie and Crocodile rivers are under threat of complete flooding.
Climate context
Experts link the increasingly frequent and destructive floods in southeastern Africa to climate change. Warming in the Indian Ocean makes storms more powerful, leading to anomalous precipitation in the region. Currently, rescue services remain on high alert, as rains are forecast to continue until early next week.