Rising Kavango River closes Lodges

RUNDU - Lodges situated along the Kavango River have temporarily halted business operations due to threatening floods.
Most of the lodges are either surrounded by water, flooding some of the infrastructure, while others are worried that the situation may become uncontrollable.

National water utility NamWater said last week that the water levels have reached 8.07 metres, sparking fears that floods will soon reach some of the town’s accommodation facilities, especially those situated along the river banks.

The Sarasungu and Hakusembe River Lodges have already suspended operations, as roads leading to the lodges are flooded.
Currently all bookings are cancelled and tourists are referred to other accommodation facilities at Rundu.

Meanwhile, other lodges have sought alternatives to lessen the impact of floods on their businesses.
The Operations Manager at the Nkwazi Lodge, Peter Peypers, said they had started filling up the premises with sand since last November.

Peypers explained that all 13 rooms, the dining area and the bar are above the water level and only the camping site is affected.
He further pointed out that although it is a low season for tourists, those visiting the lodge are ferried in by boat.

Derived from: New Era

Namibians to take part in Earth Hour

Switch off for Mother Earth

Namibians are encouraged to switch off their lights on Saturday, March 31 to celebrate Earth Hour and show their support for environmentally sustainable action.

The lights should be switched off for one hour between 20h30 and 21h30.
Earth Hour's 'I will if you will' concept invited individuals and organisations to challenge each other and others to an ongoing commitment beyond the hour. 
Earth Hour began in one city in 2007 and by 2011 it had reached over 1,8 billion people in 135 countries across every continent, receiving reports as the World's largest campaign for the planet.
Earth Hour was conceived by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and The Sydney Morning Herald in 2007 when 2,2 million residents of Sidney participated by turing off all non-essential lights.
Since then the event has grown with more and more people participating and more cities and landmarks going dark.

The human population is currently consuming resources at a faster rate than ecosystems can regenerate them.

People are encouraged not only to switch off their lights for one hour on March 31 but to also get involved in conservation, decreasing their carbon footprint and looking after their environment after Earth Hour.

Derived from: The Namibian

Water reaches Sossusvlei

Water from the Trauchab River reaches Sossusvlei.
People that were on their way from Sossusvlei, on Tuesday, were met by the Trauchab River flowing. The water reached the Sesriem valley and Sossus Dunes.

Photo: Tamsyn Kintscher

Derived from: The Republikein

Namibian Winter Time Change

Goodbye Summer
Namibia's annual five-month-long Winter Timer period starts on Sunday.
The country’s official time changes at 02h00 on Sunday morning, when clocks and watches have to be adjusted an hour back, to set the time at one hour in advance of Greenwich Mean Time.
The Winter Time period lasts until the first Sunday in September, when the country reverts to Summer Time, which is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

Derived from: The Namibian

Heavenly Rain

The Klein-Aus Vista lodge received 147,8 mm rain within two hours on Tuesday. The average annual rainfall there is about 90 mm. The swollen rivers caused substantial damage to the roads “and changed the landscape quite a bit”, a resident said. Klein Aus Vista is situated west of Aus in the Karas Region.

Photo: Piet Swiegers

Derived from : The Namibian