… According to the Hydrological Services of Namibia, the Orange River at Blouputs rose from 2.56 m last Tuesday to 3.14 m this Tuesday, while at Sendelingsdrift it increased from 2.50 m to 3.36 m over the same period. …
… According to the Hydrological Services of Namibia, the Orange River at Blouputs dropped from 2.61 metres on Wednesday to 2.59 metres on Thursday, while the Orange River at Sendelingsdrift maintained a water level of 2.44 metres during the same period. …
… The Orange River at Blouputs fell from 2.46 metres on Wednesday to 2.43 metres on Thursday, while the Orange River at Sendelingsdrift recorded a drop from 2.57 metres to 2.53 metres over the same period. …
… Meanwhile, the Orange River at Sendelingsdrift recorded a water level of 2.57m on Tuesday, 10 March 2026, which is also higher than the 0.45m and 0.27m recorded on the same dates in 2025 and 2024 respectively.
… At Sendelingsdrift, the river rose from 2.32m last Monday to 2.57m this Monday, while at Blouputs it increased from 2.31m to 2.55m over the same period.
… The Okavango River at Rundu recorded a steady water level of 4.90 metres, representing a decrease from the 5.53 metres recorded during the same period last year. “On the Lower Orange River, water levels at Blouputs and Sendelingsdrift were recorded at 2.01 metres and 2.05 metres …
The Oranjemund Town Council has prohibited access to the Orange River and nearby flooded areas due to rising water levels and strong currents. The council cited hazardous conditions including unstable ground and debris, and advised residents and visitors to avoid the river, river mouth, and beach to prevent drowning incidents.
Why it matters
Oranjemund restricts Orange River access due to rising waters and hazardous conditions, affecting local residents and illustrating climate-related public safety risks.
The Oranjemund Town Council has prohibited access to the Orange River and nearby flooded areas due to rising water levels and strong currents. The council cited hazardous conditions including unstable ground and debris, and advised residents and visitors to avoid the river, river mouth, and beach to prevent drowning incidents.
The Kunene River's discharge rose by more than 300 cubic metres per second over the past week to 894.10 m³/s, and the Kavango and Orange rivers also recorded rising water levels, according to the Hydrological Services of Namibia. In contrast, the Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo declined over the same period.
The Kunene River's flow rate at Ruacana declined from 1,540.50 m³/s on Saturday to 1,125.50 m³/s by Monday, though still higher than the 708.10 m³/s recorded on the same date last year. The Zambezi River and other waterways have also experienced declining flows, but water levels remain significantly higher than those of last year.
Substantial rainfall in southern Angola and the Cuvelai–Etosha Basin has caused water to flow through eastern iishana in Ohangwena Region, with the stream expected to affect northern constituencies in the Oshana Region. The Hydrological Services of Namibia has advised communities to remain on high alert and activate flood preparedness measures, with increased flood risk also flagged for the Kunene, central, and south-eastern regions.
Water levels in Namibia's north-eastern rivers—including the Zambezi, Chobe, and Kavango—continued to rise this week, with the Zambezi at Katima Mulilo reaching 6.84 metres and the Kavango at Rundu surpassing 7 metres. The Hydrological Services of Namibia has warned the public to remain vigilant in flood-prone areas and recommended activation of flood risk mitigation and preparedness measures, particularly near the Zambezi River, where the river has overflowed its banks and floodwaters are spreading into the eastern Zambezi floodplains.
The Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo reached 6.75 metres on 12 March 2026, significantly higher than the same date in previous years, with water overflowing banks into eastern floodplains. Namibia's Hydrological Services urged communities to remain on high alert and activate flood preparedness measures across multiple flood-prone regions.
The Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo has risen to 6.76 metres, significantly higher than recent years and well above last week's 3.99m reading. The Hydrological Services of Namibia has issued a flood alert for the eastern Zambezi floodplains and recommended that communities nationwide activate flood preparedness measures, as several other rivers including the Kavango and Orange are also elevated.
The Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo rose 3.05 metres in a week to reach 6.68m by Monday, March 9, 2026, significantly higher than the 2.06m recorded on the same date last year. The Hydrological Services of Namibia has warned surrounding communities to be cautious as the river overflows its banks into the eastern Zambezi floodplains.
Namibia's Hydrological Services reports that the Zambezi and Kavango Rivers in the north rose over the past week, with the Zambezi at Katima Mulilo climbing from 1.04m to 1.28m, while the Orange River in the south declined from 1.46m to 0.76m at Blouputs during the same period.
The Namibian Hydrological Services reports that national dam storage levels remain significantly higher than the same period last year, with total dam content at 80.1% as of 5 January and a storage surplus of 28.7% compared to the previous year. River flow conditions have increased across parts of the country, with the Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo recording notably higher water levels than last year.
The Namibia Meteorological Service forecasts hot to very hot conditions across most of the country, with isolated thundershowers expected over northern, central and eastern interior areas, while the south remains mostly sunny and dry. Coastal areas will experience milder conditions with maximum temperatures of 24–27°C, while interior regions such as Keetmanshoop and Mariental are forecast to reach 36–37°C.
Namibia recorded widespread rainfall over recent days, with moderate falls across north-central and north-eastern regions and lighter showers in the south, boosting river flows and maintaining national dam storage at 80.1% as of 5 January. However, authorities note a storage deficit of 28.7% compared to the same period last year, with dam levels ranging from highs of 97.7% at Neckartal Dam to lows below 5% at Bondels and Tjivero Silt dams.