WATCH: Incredible footage of the devastating floods that hit the KNP 20 years ago

The Kruger National Park experienced its worst floods on February 5, 2000, after the Sabie River and its tributary, Nwasitshaka, burst their banks.

Skukuza bore the heaviest damage, estimated to be in the region of R8 million. In some places, more than 500mm of rain was recorded in a 24-hour period, leading to the closure of the entire southern half of the park, which had been cut off from the north.

The rest camps at Skukuza, Pretoriuskop, Lower Sabie and the Crocodile Bridge had to be closed to the public.

Park officials worked around the clock to limit the damage, which was estimated to run to more than R67 million.

Joep Stevens, general manager of revenue and yield at SANParks, was away on business in Johannesburg when the floodgates opened.

“At the time, I was living in Skukuza with a view of the river. On my return, I was confronted with water that had reached the top level of my window frames. The entire house was filled with water. I could not save anything, because I was not home when the floods started,” he said.

According to Stevens, the disaster was the worst the organisation had experienced. “Valuable infrastructure such as the water and purifying pumps were damaged inside and outside the park.”

He added that the situation was exacerbated by inadequate early warning systems, which he felt would have alerted officials sooner and allowed measures to be taken to minimise the damage.

“The southern Kruger National Park was closed, and a number of roads were severely damaged. I personally suffered a huge loss in terms of furniture and other goods, which were swept away.

“While these things can be replaced – some easier than others – I am thankful that there were no casualties in terms of human lives.”

Stevens added that the floods came and went quickly, but the destruction left in the wake was unimaginable. “It started at 17:00 on February 5, 2000 and wreaked havoc. It reached the camps, plucked out doors and windows, furniture and equipment and uprooted trees.

“Access roads were blocked and furniture was swept away, especially at the restaurant and homes along the river bank.”

Although no human lives were lost, many animals perished and salvage operations began in earnest. The Skukuza Primary School and the buildings on the left bank of Nwasitshaka River incurred extensive structural damage amounting to millions.

SA Assists victims across the border

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the devastating Mozambique floods of 2000, when more than 700 people were killed.

Most remarkable was the birth of the miracle Mozambican baby born in a treetop.

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It was February 26, 2000, when a heavily pregnant woman and her relatives were forced to climb a tree to escape deadly floods that engulfed many parts of southern Mozambique. She and the baby was later rescued by a mercy helicopter.

At the time it was the worst flood, and natural disaster, to hit the country in five decades.

In October and November 1999, heavy rainfall, followed by more heavy rainfall in January 2000, caused the Incomati, the Umbeluzi, and the Limpopo rivers to exceed their banks, inundating portions of the capital, Maputo. At Chókwè, the Limpopo River reached a level of six metres above normal, twice its normal level. Some areas received a year’s worth of rainfall in two weeks.

People were forced to leave their homes, and had to climb onto roofs and even into trees in the hope that they would be rescued. More than 500 000 people were saved this way as the waters continued to rise.

Rosita Mabuiango, now aged 20, made international headlines after she and her mother Sofia were rescued by helicopter from a tree surrounded by floodwater. Sofia gave birth to Rosita in the tree.

After her daring rescue, Sofia said, “A lot of people lost everything in the floods, but I gained something.”
The first to send assistance to the flooded areas were the Navy ships. However, as more and more people were affected, the South African government sent helicopters.

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The damage was colossal, and the areas affected, including farmland and crops, were almost completely destroyed.

This led to famine, as the villages relied on those crops for survival. Many families were totally stranded with no food or clean water, so hundreds died from sicknesses, such as malaria and cholera, and starvation. More than forty health stations were completely destroyed, including the second largest in Mozambique.

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In late February – by the time Cyclone Eline made landfall – flooding was beginning to recede. Eline was a long-lasting tropical cyclone that struck near Beira at peak intensity on February 22.

around 700 people were killed. Roughly 1 400 square kilometres of arable land was affected and 20 000 head of cattle were lost.