Residents cautioned about rising water levels of Orange River

The Oranjemund town council has cautioned residents and visitors about the rising water levels of the Orange River. The council highlighted that the water levels are rising with the flow currently being very strong and dangerous.


Council thus urged residents and visitors to avoid accessing the riverbanks and the river. “Under no circumstances is anyone permitted to enter the river or to engage in swimming activities. “Access to the river and the surrounding flooded areas is strictly prohibited due to hazardous conditions,” the council said in an urgent warning issued via social media today. Council emphasised that approaching the riverbank is also prohibited. “The ground is highly unstable and may collapse without warning. This presents a serious safety risk. These measures are in place to protect lives and prevent potential drowning incidents.”


All road users and visitors are also advised to adhere to road closures. “Please avoid accessing flooded areas. We are also urging residents to refrain from engaging in any activities along the river and to exercise extreme caution when visiting the beach area,” the council pleaded.


Otesa Civil Engineering, which is busy with road construction works, also issued a notice of an expected road closure of the road that connects Rosh Pinha and Oranjemund between 7 May and 9 May. The C13 Road between Aussenkehr and Rosh-Pinah was apparently closed on Sunday. The Orange River reportedly pushed in so high that the Fish River bridge was not visible, reported Ursula James on a WhatsApp group that monitors road conditions in Namibia.


People living in areas along the Lower Orange River are also on high alert with major dams in South Africa continuing to release large volumes of water due to it being filled over capacity.


The water level of the Orange River increased steadily and reached the same level on 3 May, as when it flooded in 2023, reported Len Fourie from Upington. He cautioned farmers and road users along the river to take precautions to avoid damage by the river going over its banks. The Vaal Dam was reportedly at 109.92% with an inflow of 220.7m3/s and outflow of 307.0m3/s with two gates open on 5 May. Anena Burger reported from Louisvale that the Orange River had apparently reached its peak and said that the water level had not increased further. Niel Van Niekerk of the Kakamas Water Users Association confirmed that the maximum flow for the Orange River passed through Kakamas on 5 May. “We can see that the level is dropping and are monitoring the situation for any sudden changes.