The Letaba, Sabie, and Olifants Rivers within Kruger National Park are experiencing catastrophic flooding (Red Level 10), leading to the closure of all gates to day visitors and the isolation of several major rest camps.
The Letaba, Sabie, and Olifants Rivers in South Africa are currently in a state of extreme flooding (Red Level 10), causing the emergency evacuation of multiple rest camps and the total closure of the Kruger National Park to day visitors.
The Kruger National Park has officially reopened to day visitors today, January 19, though the Letaba, Sabie, and Olifants Rivers remain at high-flow levels. Access is strictly limited via a quota system at southern gates due to significant infrastructure damage.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Red Level 10 Warning for disruptive rain, the highest possible alert level. Massive volumes of water are currently being discharged into the park from upstream dams, with the Nsami Dam at a critical 128% capacity and the Tzaneen Dam exceeding 108%, causing the Letaba River to breach its banks and enter residential areas of the rest camp.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has maintained its highest Red Level 10 Warning as river catchments reach a saturation breaking point. The Letaba River is currently at the 2,000 flat level mark, fueled by massive discharges from the Nsami Dam (128.5%) and Tzaneen Dam (108.6%), with more rain likely before conditions stabilize on January 19.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has allowed the Red Level 10 warning to expire as conditions stabilize. However, the hydrological risk remains “High” due to saturated soils and continuing dam discharges. The Nsami Dam remains over capacity at 128%, maintaining high flows into the Letaba River system despite the lack of new rainfall.
Southern Kruger (Open with Quotas): Malelane, Numbi, and Paul Kruger Gates are open, but under a strict visitor cap.
Skukuza & Phabeni: The direct S1 route between Skukuza and Phabeni is closed due to a local stream breach; Phabeni Gate is currently inaccessible from the Skukuza side.
Northern Kruger (Closed): The entire region north of the Olifants River, including Pafuri and Punda Maria, remains inaccessible with multiple bridge washouts.
Giyani & Ba-Phalaborwa: Recovery efforts are underway after 19 fatalities were confirmed in the region; search and rescue teams remain on standby as local villages drain.
Hoedspruit: While the town is clearing, Eastgate Airport is working to restore full commercial flight schedules following recent flooding of access roads.
Crocodile Bridge Gate: Remains closed indefinitely as the low-level bridge requires structural assessment following days of submersion.
Orpen Gate: Closed today due to overnight damage to the access road (H7) near the Phelwani River crossing.
Olifants Rest Camp: Currently operating on emergency boreholes after the primary pump infrastructure was washed away by the Olifants River surge.
Information compiled from SANParks Disaster Management, the South African Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), and verified on-the-ground reports from the South African Weather Service (SAWS).
This event is now being recorded as the most significant flood since 2012, with some southern catchments receiving 400mm–500mm of rain in under a week. As these waters move downstream, they reflect the powerful nature of Rising Currents, a phenomenon that reshapes riverbanks and ecosystems overnight. To understand the long-term impact on the landscape, explore Fluvial Geomorphology Explained: How Deltas, Alluvial Fans, and Rivers Form.
To understand the severity of the current flooding in Kruger National Park, it is essential to look at the unique geographical and hydrological setup of the region.
The rivers currently in flood—the Letaba, Sabie, and Olifants—all originate in the high-altitude Drakensberg Escarpment (elevations up to 2,000 m). They flow eastward, dropping rapidly onto the flat, semi-arid plains of the Lowveld (altitudes of 250–400 m) where Kruger National Park is situated.
The Funnel Effect: Heavy rainfall on the mountains acts like a funnel. Even if it is not raining inside the park, massive volumes of water from the “Highveld” catchments can reach the park’s western gates within hours.
Bedrock Macrochannels: Unlike typical rivers with wide floodplains, these rivers are “incised” into ancient bedrock. This means they are deep and narrow; when they overflow, the water has nowhere to go but up and over the banks with immense speed and force.
This event is driven by a cut-off low pressure system, a notorious weather phenomenon in South Africa. Unlike a normal storm that moves through quickly, a cut-off low is “blocked” by high-pressure systems, causing it to hover over one area for days.
Saturation: By January 16, the ground in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces had reached total saturation.
Dam Spillage: Because the region’s 19 major dams (like Tzaneen and Nsami) are at full capacity, they can no longer “buffer” the flow. Every drop of rain falling upstream is now being passed directly into the park’s river systems.
These rivers do not stop at the park’s eastern border. They flow through the Lebombo Mountains via narrow gorges into Mozambique, eventually joining the Limpopo River before emptying into the Indian Ocean. Consequently, the high water levels currently seen in Skukuza and Letaba are a precursor to downstream flooding in the Gaza Province of Mozambique.
This blog post uses publicly available information from various sources, synthesized with the help of AI, as a starting point for exploring the world of rivers. Our editors review the content for accuracy, though we encourage readers to verify information intended for primary source use. We strive to use public domain, licensed, or AI-generated images; due to the nature of online sharing, individual image sources are generally not credited. Please contact us regarding any copyright concerns.
We collect water solely from flowing freshwater sources such as rivers, named bayous, streams, creeks, and brooks. Historically significant man-made freshwater canals, like the Erie Canal, may also be included. In exceptional cases, we may consider non-freshwater waterways like the culturally significant Bosporus Strait.
The water we collect isn’t meant for consumption. It becomes part of our treasured collection, a source of inspiration and unique keepsakes.
We’d love to hear from you! Here’s how to get started:
Become a Member: Fill out the membership form on our website.
Tell Us About Yourself: After submitting the form, send us an email to share more about yourself and your reasons for wanting to be part of River Mixer.
Review Collection Guidelines: While you wait to hear back, take a look at our collection guidelines to ensure any river water you plan to submit meets our requirements.
Submit Your River Water (Optional): If you have river water you’d like to contribute, briefly describe it in your email, including the location and name (if applicable). We’ll let you know if it’s a good fit for the collection.
Each river contributes just 500 ml (16 oz) [or less] of its story to our collection, ensuring a unique representation of waterways around the world. We limit our collections to a single sampling trip per river.
To ensure the authenticity and provenance of our river water, we employ a multi-step verification process. This includes video and photographic documentation of collection sites, coupled with GPS location tracking. Additionally, we collaborate exclusively with thoroughly vetted members and volunteers who represent the River Mixer during water collection.
Current monitoring shows water levels at a staggering 3.4 meters above flood alert thresholds at the Chókwè bridge as of January 20, 2026. While upstream regions like Kruger Park are beginning a slow recovery, the main flood pulse is currently engulfing the Gaza Province, with the city of Xai-Xai now directly in the path of a record-breaking surge.
The latest release from Basin Beats presents the sound of the Mekong, a haunting lo-fi journey through the “Hungry Blue” waters of Southeast Asia. This track sonifies the “Death by a Thousand Cuts” facing the Mother Water, blending ancient Đàn bầu melodies with the gritty reality of a C- Health Score.
The release of unprecedented high-definition footage of the uncontacted Mashco Piro (pronounced: mash-ko pee-ro) tribe on the Las Piedras River marks a high-stakes moment for Amazonian conservation. Explore the gravity of Paul Rosolie’s recent mission in Peru and how Junglekeepers is fighting to protect this fragile frontier.
The modern river is rarely a purely natural entity. Through the lens of anthropogenic modification—human-induced change—we have fundamentally altered the hydrological cycle. This post explores the intersection of civil engineering and urban design, examining how our attempts to “tame” water have reshaped the landscape of risk and the lives of those who call the riverbank home.
Current monitoring shows water levels nearing bank-full at the Ura e Fshajte (Fshajt Bridge) as of January 10, 2026. After a week of relentless precipitation across the Dukagjini plain, residents are facing a historic “once in 50 years” flood event that has already severed critical transport links and forced dozens of families from their homes.
Current monitoring shows water levels nearing bank-full at the major river crossings connecting East and South East Siau as of January 6, 2026. The sudden surge has transformed local streams into violent torrents, leaving residents questioning if existing drainage infrastructure can withstand the peak of the 2026 monsoon season.
We had multiple art options for this post’s cover, but only one could make the cut. Here are 5 runner-ups. Did we choose the right one?
