South African authorities closed Kruger National Park to day visitors on Thursday (15) after several rivers running through the park overflowed following days of heavy rainfall.
According to Reuters, tourists already staying in accommodation inside the park were allowed to remain, except for areas around the Letaba River, which were evacuated, South African National Parks said.
Reuters TV footage showed vast areas of the park submerged by fast-flowing water, with treetops visible above the floods and hippos swimming among them. Signs indicated that roads were closed.
Flooding in south-eastern Africa has become more frequent and severe as climate change makes storms in the adjacent Indian Ocean more powerful.
“This water is moving very fast,” Kruger spokesperson Reynold Thakhuli told Reuters at the scene, standing beside a road that had been closed and was partially submerged by flowing water, noting that authorities had shut the Phalaborwa gate near Kruger Airport.
“We are going to close it for 24 hours and monitor what is happening,” he said, adding that “we are not really worried about the animals,” as they tend to move to higher ground in such situations.
