Flooding in southeast Africa this week forced more than 1 500 people to evacuate homes in Mozambique and led to an airlift of about 20 foreign tourists at South Africa's flagship Kruger National Park, officials said on Thursday.
Torrential rains swelled rivers, destroyed homes and sparked the evacuations in Mozambique's Maputo and Gaza provinces, weather officials said.
Forecasts indicate more storms could be heading to the region, threatening farms and coal mines in Mozambique.
Gates at Kruger have been closed to tourists after floods ripped up roads at the park that borders Mozambique. The tourists evacuated from Kruger included Americans and Canadians. They were plucked by helicopter to safety after a washed-out bridge left them isolated in the massive park.
"There wasn't any other way to get out of the park," said Canadian Linda Freeman.
A tropical storm over the Mozambique interior caused the heavy rains in the Lowveld in the past two days that resulted in the overflow and temporary closure of several bridges in the park, the SA Weather Service said.
Hit the hardest was the Crocodile River low water bridge in the park.
SA Weather Service forecaster Edwin Thema said the excessive rainfall was caused when tropical storm Dando moved inland across the east of Maputo towards southern Mozambique. There was a 30 percent chance of more rain in the Lowveld on Thursday, he said.
The low water bridge over the Crocodile River in the Kruger park is submerged and no entry or exit is being allowed through the Crocodile Bridge Gate until further notice. Visitors were advised to use Malelane Gate, the park’s managing executive, Abe Sibiya, said.
Giriyondo Border Gate and several other tourist and gravel roads – mostly those with low water crossings – had also been affected.
These included the 9km road to the popular Olifants Camp from the main road, and the road between Olifants and Satara.
“Guests are advised to exercise caution and use alternative roads (tarred roads with high water bridges),” Sibiya said.
The following routes/areas have been temporarily closed:
*Crocodile Bridge Entrance Gate.
* Giriyondo Border Gate.
* Makhadzi Picnic Spot.
* Shimuwini Bush Camp.
* Sirheni Bush Camp.
* Tsendze road between Phalaborwa and Mopani – (guests advised to use Phalaborwa-Letaba).
* Letaba Nhlanganini Bridge.
* Letaba Camp – filling station and camping site affected.
* H25 gravel road – between Malelane Gate and Crocodile Bridge Camp.
* S145 – to Talamati Bush Camp.
* H1/2 – between H4/1 and H12 (low water bridges at Sabie and Sand rivers).
* S23 Biyamiti Loop.
* H1-3 – Nwa’sitsotso (Tshokwane high water bridge).
* Lower Sabie Dam (low water bridge).
* Tshokwane Picnic Site flooded.
* Routes to Imbali, Tinga and Shishangeni Private Lodges (concessions).
* Gravel road to Balule Bush Camp.
* Data lines (telephones, e-mails) have also been affected.- Pretoria News and Reuters