DO NOT CROSS THESE RIVERS!

MBABANE – As the country continues to receive rains, the nation is urged to be cautious when crossing rivers as water levels have increased, with some rivers overflowing.

Motorists are advised to be extra vigilant when crossing bridges which may not be visible due to the increased water levels.

Director in the Department Water Affairs in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, Trevor Shongwe, issued the warning. Shongwe said the rains which had been received in the past two weeks have resulted in some improvements in three of Eswatini’s major dams. He said the Lubovane Dam located in the Great Usuthu currently stored the highest amount of water and was now over-spilling.

Increased

This, Shongwe said, was a result of the increased amount of water flowing in the Great Usuthu River. He said such had enabled the ministry to abstract the surplus water for storage in this dam.

He said the Hawane Dam on the Mbuluzi River had also realised some improvement moving from 52 per cent observed on December 17, 2018 to 54 per cent recorded yesterday.

Further, he said another dam which showed great improvement in storage capacity was the Luphohlo Dam on the Lusushwana River. This dam, he said, had increased from 55.6 per cent recorded on December 17, 2018 to 67.7 per cent observed as of yesterday. Shongwe said the Maguga and Mnjoli dams have continued to maintain nearly the same amount of storage as observed earlier and were currently at 67.1 per cent and 61.6 per cent respectively.

“The ministry greatly appreciates the rains currently being received and looks forward to more downpours for the betterment of the national water situation,” Shongwe related.

He encouraged the nation to use household technologies to harvest the rainwater currently being received throughout the country.  Shongwe said the ministry, through the Department of Water Affairs, would continue to monitor the water situation and would periodically advise the nation on any changes in the water situation.

Meteorologist Eric Seyama confirmed that streams and rivers would overflow with the continued rainfall received.

Warned

Seyama also warned members of the public to be careful when crossing rivers and streams. The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) has already issued a warning on Mndobandoba River in Big Bend which had been overflowing since Tuesday.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent  Phindile Vilakati said members of the public should be vigilant and not dare attempt to cross flooded rivers as it could be dangerous and infested with crocodiles as well.

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