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By ANA reporter 
17h ago
Rustenburg: The iconic Victoria Falls have reached their highest flows in a decade in a powerful display of breathtaking beauty and intensity, but no one is there to witness it.
The rain forest of Victoria Falls was closed because Zimbabwe is locked up to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
Zambezi River Authority public relations and communications manager Elizabeth Karonga said the high water levels were due to a significant increase in both precipitation and runoff in the catchment area upstream of the falls during the current rainy season.
The authority’s data shows that four times more water flowed over the world’s largest waterfall than at this time last year. On April 20, 3,922 cubic meters per second were recorded compared to 1,007 cubic meters per second on April 20, 2019.
Victoria Falls has reached its highest flows in 10 years. Picture: supplied
“The Zambezi River typically experiences two peaks or floods, which are most evident in the upper catchment area, upstream of Victoria Falls, and depending on its magnitude, its effects translate downstream,” said Karonga.
The first wave of flood water was recorded at Victoria Falls on March 31, with a peak flow of 4,289 cubic meters per second, and the second wave reached Victoria Falls on April 14. Water levels rose again, Karonga said.
Flow in Victoria Falls from the second flood was expected to peak in late April at more than 4,300 cubic meters per second, he said.
Flows have not been as high since 2010, when they were slightly higher; They were also highest in 2009 and 1978, but the highest flows ever recorded were in 1958 when the peak flow reached an incredible 9,436 cubic meters per second, he said.
Over the next few weeks, the increase in flows at the falls would continue until the upstream rain decreases, leading to a decrease in flows from the Zambezi River, and subsequently reduced flows at the falls.
Falls were expected to peak in late May this year.
Ross Kennedy, executive director of the Zimbabwe Africa Albida Tourism hospitality group, said nature continued to show its power and influence.
“At a time when the world is in trouble, the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls show immense beauty, resilient power, and a glorious snub to today’s negatives,” Kennedy said.
“It has been a long time since someone witnessed the majesty and intensity of this level of water flowing over Victoria Falls, and the last period of such floods was 10 years ago.”
“What a sad and disappointing irony it is that, right now, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World is at its best, the world is locked up and very few, if any, will be able to witness or experience this iconic destiny at all its splendor, “he said.
African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Desiree Erasmus
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