WELCOME rains flooded several sections of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park over the weekend.
‘The usually dry uMkhuze section experienced a deluge over the weekend totalling close on 200mm, causing eNsumo Pan to swell and swamp the picnic site and access paths to the two bird hides,’ said Terri Castis, iSimangaliso Director of Commercial Development.
‘With causeways and drifts flowing strongly, some guests were stranded while waiting for the water to subside.
‘The Western Shores section is a veritable watery wonderland with dozens of small water lily-strewn pans appearing all over this traditionally drier area.
‘As both the uMkhuze and uMfolozi Rivers have come down in flood, filling the Lake St Lucia Estuary from north and south respectively, the lake has reached new high levels with Charters Creek looking magnificently full once again, and a reading of 1.66m at the Lake St Lucia estuary bridge on Monday .
‘Water is within one metre of the lower end of the bridge,’ said Castis.
‘The mouth of the uMfolozi River is raging with a load of debris out at sea indicating that a strong surge of water has taken its toll on tree trunks along the way.
‘The rains are great news for the world heritage site and in particular for the Lake St Lucia system as it is making excellent progress towards re-establishing its original levels.’
iSimangaliso rainfall figures to 10 March:
St Lucia Estuary 141.3mm
Western Shores 140mm
uMkhuze 256.4mm
False Bay Park 64mm
Kosi Bay 271mm
Coastal Forest Reserve 232mm
Sodwana Bay 164.5mm
