The January 2012 Kruger Flood in Pictures

[ndloti]

Olifants high level bridge on road to Satara south of Olifants camp 18 Jan 2012 at 3:37 pm .
(picture courtesy of section ranger)

[bert]

Thank you SANParks for the speedy update
Well done

Found another snippet on YouTube
Croc river near Malelane

[redlomo]

Looks like the Skukuza golf course took a bit of a beating...

https://twitter.com/#!/latestkruger/status/159926334041231360/photo/1

[cheetah2111]

This is what WTM is talking about.

Napi Road from Pretorius kop just before Transport dam

[DuQues]

December 2010 versus January 2012....

[redlomo]

That's a pretty big tree ...

[Wild Dreamer]

Marloth Park, Crocodile Road side at approx. 14h00 today:

For those who know Marloth and how high the banks are on either side of the Crocodile River, you can see how high the level is!

[DinkyBird]

19/1/12:

I only get backed from Skukuza now, I have overnight there due to flood. I was unable to cross de laporte to join the turn off to berg en dal. When I reach that area, I found that the big Marula tree was in the middle of the road and part of the bridge had been washed out. I then crossed through s114, to s22, s112 to join the tar to Berg en dal.

On my way I found a giraffe that was unable to awake. Luckily Albert Smith the Skukuza Section Ranger arrived on the scene with Corporal Dinda.

I’m at berg en dal safe. The bungalow that I was sleeping it was very close to Sabie river, each and every hour I had to wake up and check if I’m still safe, the water was moving with the heavy logs.

Regards,

RAYMOND KHOSA
HEAD GUIDE (BERG EN DAL REST CAMP)

And a pic from Raymond taken yesterday:

Low water bridge, Crocodile Bridge.

[Goggo EJ]

Photos taken late yesterday afternoon at Lower Sabie

From Keartland guest house looking north - where I am standing was under water the previous evening!


Taken looking along the fence - the line in the grass indicates the water level (approx half-way across grass)


Damage in the safari tents






Showing how high the water reached there - debris on the table


Debris on the fence


And finally the bridge shortly before 9am this morning

[bert]

Video snippet from SABC
For those not being able to view SABC

[wacktazz]

Here we go.
First of all. Hats off to all involved in the rescue teams, the clening up teams, management, doctors, restaurant (for providing food to stranded people), technical services and all the other volunteers who helped with this massive operation. I would personally like to thank my Father in Law, Bertus, as well for his help when I could not be with my family.

I only have a few pics now, but will upload more tommorow. When I got into Phabeni, I was told that they were still closed, as roads and bridges was unnacessible. Kruger was fine, and the massive flow of water was a sight to see. The idea that I got when I was driving on Kruger road, is that it was as if nothing ever happened. No major uprootment of trees and I saw Zebra grazing.

When I reached the village, it was clear that something had happened. Lots of mud everywhere. No one playing golf. And then I saw the river at my house.
For the past couple of years the low water bridge in the village overflowed once or so a year, which was normal. You sort of get used to it in Skukuza. Those who do not know where it is, its the river (mostly dry) on the Kruger/ Skukuza road, 3 km or so before Skukuza ( Nwatsisaka). Said river has a low water bridge connecting the main part of our village with the smaller part, and ultimately Skukuza.


This was the sight yesterday at the bridge:






It is as if the railings on the bridge has been wrangled by something. Like paper.
As you can see, one huge hole appeared on the one side, which is being fixed. People currently drive through the staff village to get to skukuza and back.
As you can see, it took me more than two hours now to upload this, so I will rather try again in the morning

PS. Sorry Alf, I see you got the answer you were looking for

[Imberbe]

Lake Panic - KNP floods 18/19 January 2012.

[Shutterbug]

Couple more pics from my friend that works in Letaba, these were taken on the 18th.

[vlakvarksegat]

Hats off to all that helped to get and keep people safe. It must have been a horrible experience not knowing how high the water will still rise, fearing for your life and wondering what will be left of your worldly belongings after the disaster is over.
I decided to do a recce through the south today to see the damage for myself. I entered through Croc Bridge. The bridge is intact with hardly any damage, but a lot of debris will have to be removed.
Gezantfombi dam is filled to the brim and overflowing at the weir.
I took the S28 and there is no damage to the road and safe to travel. The veld is lush and green and being enjoyed by the ellies.



The Sabie River has subsided but debris in the branches of the famous Sausage Tree south of Lower Sabie bears witness to the might of the water that recently passed. The bridge on the H10 is still closed with a lot of debris to be removed. The water on the bridge is very shallow and should subside completely by tomorrow.



Nkuhlu Picnic spot is open and operating and spotlessly clean

The high water bridge on the H12 is open but the railings are badly damaged. Huge trees have been uprooted and lie scattered in the devastated riverbed. Big slabs of tar have been lifted off the road and deposited in the veld. The rest of the road to Skukuza is undamaged.





I did not enter Skukuza as time was running out. The H1-1 is closed at the S114 junction. I presume the bridge at De Laporte is damaged. Take the S114; turn right on the S22 Stevenson Hamilton and right again on the S112 to the H3. The H3 down to Malelane Gate is undamaged although all the dirt roads like Biyamiti, Voortrekker, Mlambane, Timfinene, S110Matjulu and S114 to Croc Bridge is closed.

The Biyamiti, Mlambane and Matjulu rivers are flowing strong

300 meters before Malelane gate an idiot out of his car was taking photos of elephants not 5 meters away, fortunately there were a bush and a steep incline protecting him from a charge. I gave him a mouthful and reported him at the gate where he suddenly could not speak a word of English…he was a tourist from Europe.

[wildflowergirl]

Rooies, I saw this picture on Facebook of sable dam "harbour".

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater