Various parts of the Kruger National Park (KNP) are expected to receive more rain in this coming week, February 13 to 17.
This has led to the park’s management temporarily closing some of the remote camps and evacuating staff members to nearer, safer camps until the situation improves.
“As a precautionary measure, gravel roads and remote camps have been temporarily closed, including those used to evacuate guests from Lower Sabie, Biyamiti and Crocodile Bridge out of the park yesterday, February 12,” said the KNP’s managing executive, Oscar Mthimkhulu.
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“Closures are necessary to ensure everybody’s safety during this time, and we would like to advise guests to stick to the tar roads when driving inside the park. A disaster management team is in motion and periodical updates will be released until the situation improves,” he said.
He further reported that tar roads are open, although the teams had to temporarily close some of them (the route between Pretoriuskop and Skukuza, as well as the one between Malelane and Skukuza) yesterday for a short while, for guests’ safety. These were reopened as soon as the flash floods had stopped.
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Skukuza Airport is operating, but the park advises passengers to contact their lodges to get information before flying to Skukuza. The airport is currently processing passengers to and from the airport via Shelati Bridge.
All transfer companies, lodge representatives, and car hires should pick up and drop off guests at the Skukuza Day Visitors site, which is adjacent to the train/bridge. This arrangement was put into place, because the Sabie low-level bridge is currently flooded.
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The status of camps and roads in the park is as follows:
• gravel roads in the south remain closed
• all tar roads in the park are open, except the main road between Skukuza and Lower Sabie
• Talamati Bush Camp is closed
• Balule is closed
• Biyamiti Bush Camp is closed
• Sable Hide is closed
• Shimuwini, Bateleur and Sirheni Bush Camps are open
• all rest camps are operational except Crocodile Bridge and Lower Sabie
• all entrance gates except Crocodile Bridge are open.
“Honorary rangers and KNP roads teams continue to clear debris on bridges and anywhere else when necessary. We advise guests to avoid all roads with ‘No Entry’ signs or ones blocked with other objects. We also urge visitors who would like to enquire or send communication related to the rainfall, to please contact our Emergency Centre Numbers, 013 735 0197/4325 or 076 801 9679,” Mthimkhulu concluded.
