Maravi

Water levels threaten to flood Victoria Falls power station

Water levels threaten to flood Victoria Falls power station
Written by Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Monday, March 30, 2009 6:57:34 AM

THE Victoria Falls hydropower station in Livingstone is threatened with flooding owing to high water levels in the Zambezi River. And most of the lodges along the Zambezi River have been flooded owing to heavy rains experienced in the area.

According to sources at Zesco, the power plant, which is the oldest in Zambia, is almost flooded. The power plant last flooded in 1958 when station A was affected.

“We however are lucky because the power stations located on the banks of the river below the Victoria Falls were designed to operate even when under water as the doors are water-tight,” the sources said.

The sources added that Zesco management at the station had instituted additional safety measures of blocking the water by putting up sand bags.

“They are now putting up sand bags to reduce the effects of the water, but we can still access the stations using the walking paths which were built above the roofs of the stations after the 1958 Zambezi Floods, even the underground station can also be accessed by the same bridge-like path,” said the sources.

And a check at most of the lodges along the Zambezi River revealed that a lot of them had not been spared by the high water levels in the Zambezi River.

“We have had to close some of the chalets situated close to the river as they have been flooded,” said a worker at Tongabezi who preferred anonymity.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has stated that floods in Namwala district have resulted from the discharge of water from Itezhi-Tezhi dam into Kafue River.

In a March weather bulletin compiled by the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZDM), provincial meteorological officer Munalula Mate stated that most areas along the Zambezi and lower Kafue were likely to be heavily affected.

“The Itezhi-Tezhi dam water has continued to be discharged into the lower Kafue River, consequently resulting in swift floods. Namwala has already been affected by these floods. Most areas along the Zambezi and lower Kafue are likely to be heavily affected,” Mate stated.

And in a rainfall summary, Mate stated that the Inter Tropical Converge Zone (ITCZ) oscillated over central parts of the Southern Province during the period March 11 to March 20, and induced widespread and heavy rainfall in the province.

“The eastern sector experienced exceptionally heavy and widespread rainfall. Mild to warm temperature values were recorded and ranged between 12 to 28 degrees Celsius,” Mate stated. “Heavy rainfall above 100 millimeters was experienced at Zambia Adventist University in Monze at 234mm, Gwembe had 210mm, Siachitema had 147mm and Maamba 136mm. Others were Lusitu 123mm, Kabulamwanda 122mm, Namayoba in Monze at 113mm, Itezhi-Tezhi had 107mm and Choma 105mm.”

Mate further stated that the seasonal rainfall indicated normal performance over most parts of the province.

Labels: FLOODS, RAINFALL, ZESCO

posted by MrK @ 5:57 AM