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Victoria Falls - biggest flood in decades

Lyndy Prosper

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WATCH: Biggest floods of the Zambezi hits Victoria Falls and Kariba
by Bhejani Trust
19 hrs ago | 7780 Views

The floodwaters of the Zambezi have hit Victoria Falls and Kariba - the river has risen quickly and the lake is starting to fill.

This is the biggest flood since 1977/78, which is the biggest flood since records started in the sixties. However, there is now a second wave coming through Chavuma (on the Angola/Zambia border) which looks as big as the first wave. The difference is the Barotse flood plain is now full and this wave will sweep over it.

All the water will be channelled through to the Falls and into Kariba. I predict this will be the biggest flood since the Kariba Dam wall floods of 1958. Kariba will probably fill.

The sad news is with this disastrous Covid-19, there will only be a few locals to witness what will be one of the greatest shows put on by the Zambezi!!

Source: WATCH: Biggest floods of the Zambezi hits Victoria Falls and Kariba



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Lyndy Prosper

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baladar

genius lives only one story above madness....
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Kariba filling up had better fix the electrical load shedding issue there. I was side-eyeing every electrical appliance last time I was there.
 

Lyndy Prosper

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Kariba filling up had better fix the electrical load shedding issue there. I was side-eyeing every electrical appliance last time I was there.
Not in Zimbabwe or Zambia, but from family in Zim I heard most have had no load shedding at all for the past few weeks. Hope it continues... Haven't asked my Zambian friends.
 

Nandi Wabazulu

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I always prefer the falls from the Zimbabwe side more than the Zambia side. Maybe the Nyami Nyami will come out now that everyone is inside lol
 

Lyndy Prosper

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Nyami Nyami apparently comes out a lot when Lake Kariba is full, so fingers crossed, lol
I always prefer the falls from the Zimbabwe side more than the Zambia side. Maybe the Nyami Nyami will come out now that everyone is inside lol
 

MissLou

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I mean how does it normally look lol

Victoria Falls on average
victoria_falls.jpg


But now it looks more like Niagara Falls
Niagara-Falls-48-Hours.jpg.optimal.jpg
 

Lyndy Prosper

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I prefer the falls from the Zambian side maybe am just a bit biased because am Zambian
I definitely feel that a more complete experience is to try see from both sides, if you can only do one, then Zim side makes sense especially in low peak season. But when I saw it first time, only Zim side, I felt the experience was incomplete.
 
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Anyaz

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I like the Zambia side; at least I can always have a deep in the Devil's pool on the edge of the falls.
 

seleishere

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I love Victoria Falls. As someone who was born and raised in Zimbabwe, I have enjoyed my visits there. When I went home recently I didn’t have time though, had a packed schedule :(
maybe next time
 

Baby

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It was almost completely dry just a month or two ago. There has been a major drought going on in Southern Africa because of there being no rain to fill up the rivers and lakes. Animals, cattle have died in droves, on farms etc. because it's been so dry, for months!

Crazy.
 

Kelly Price

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Beautiful will have to add this to my long ass lists of places that i would like to visit before 30
 

Lyndy Prosper

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I always prefer the falls from the Zimbabwe side more than the Zambia side. Maybe the Nyami Nyami will come out now that everyone is inside lol

what is/are the Nyami Nyami ?

Looks like Nyami Nyami is on the move...

Earthquakes Hit Kariba Dam, Local Tradition Says It Was The Nyami Nyami Shaking New Waters In The Lake
April 20, 2020

nyaminyami-kariba-dam.jpg


Own Correspondent|Two earth tremors or earthquakes with magnitude 4.0 were recorded in the Zambezi Valley around Kariba Dam on the 1st and 2nd April 2020 at 19.29 hours and at 17.31 hours respectively.

The epicentre of the April 1st earthquake was approximately 3 km south-west of the Spurwing Island Lodge or 27 km south of the Kariba Dam and the epicentre of the April 2nd earthquake was approximately 65 km east of the Kariba Dam wall.

Besides the vivid scientific explaination of the two earthquakes, local Tonga people on both sides of the dam strongly believe that the tremors were movements of the revered Nyami Nyami spirit at the lake.

The Nyami Nyami, otherwise known as the Zambezi River God or Zambezi Snake spirit, is one of the most important gods of the Tonga people. Nyami Nyami is believed to protect the Tonga people and give them sustenance in difficult times. The River God is usually portrayed as male.

These tremors are a common occurrence in the area around the Kariba Dam.

Scientifically, the tremors are referred to as load induced tremors or specifically reservoir induced tremors in the case of the Kariba Dam and are a result of the earth crust’s response to the water load or weight of water given the size of the dam.

These tremors have been occurring since 1963 when the Kariba Dam started filling. Over 1000 tremors of magnitude 4.0 as the most recent tremors occurred since filling of the dam in 1963.

African mythology of the local Tonga tribe of the Zambezi Valley states that Nyami Nyami the River God who lives in Lake Kariba is believed to be a serpent-like creature. He is said to be about three metres wide, but nobody dares to guess at his length.

Legends has it that the water stains red when he swims past. Chief Sampakaruma saw him on two occasions many years ago, but the river god has been in hiding since the white men arrived in the country.

According to African mythology he lived under a large rock close to the present day Kariba dam wall. No tribesman would venture near it those few who did were sucked down with their canoes in the whirlpools and never seen again. They called the rock Kariwa, the “trap” and hence the name of the lake, Kariba.

The rising water of lake Kariba covered the rock Kariwa and it now lies 30 metres below the surface annoying Nyami Nyami. The Tonga people also believe that Nyami Nyami is married and that the building of Kariba Dam wall would separate him from his wife, this would anger him greatly and the river god threatened the peace of the valley.

Traditionalists believe that the latest tremors were not an earthquake but it was the Nyami Nyami moving at the base of the dam.

The Kariba Dam’s water level ended last year at its lowest in 23 years, but in the last three weeks data from three major river flow stations along the Zambezi River, show a tremendous water flow towards the giant lake.

Kariba Dam is Zimbabwe’s largest power station, with capacity to produce 1 050MW, but is currently generating electricity at curtailed level due to critically low water levels following the drought experienced in the catchment area of the dam’s main feeder river.

When the water levels dwindled last year, the traditionalists believed that the Nyami Nyami was angry.

It is the traditional role of tribal elders and spirit mediums to intercede on behalf the inhabitants of the river valley when Nyami Nyami is angered.

What’s surprising is that the tremors of this magnitude have never affect the structural integrity of the dam. However, as a precaution, the Kariba Dam is inspected after each event and the instruments records analysed for any anomalous behaviour irrespective of the magnitude. The dam was inspected on the 2nd and 3rd April 2020 and the dam instrumentation data was analysed. Analysis of instrumentation data showed that the dam was not affected which was also corroborated by the visual inspections of the dam and its appurtenant structures which showed no structural damage to the dam and its related structures.

Source: Earthquakes Hit Kariba Dam, Local Tradition Says It Was The Nyami Nyami Shaking New Waters In The Lake | ZimEye
 

Nandi Wabazulu

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Looks like Nyami Nyami is on the move...

Earthquakes Hit Kariba Dam, Local Tradition Says It Was The Nyami Nyami Shaking New Waters In The Lake
April 20, 2020

nyaminyami-kariba-dam.jpg


Own Correspondent|Two earth tremors or earthquakes with magnitude 4.0 were recorded in the Zambezi Valley around Kariba Dam on the 1st and 2nd April 2020 at 19.29 hours and at 17.31 hours respectively.

The epicentre of the April 1st earthquake was approximately 3 km south-west of the Spurwing Island Lodge or 27 km south of the Kariba Dam and the epicentre of the April 2nd earthquake was approximately 65 km east of the Kariba Dam wall.

Besides the vivid scientific explaination of the two earthquakes, local Tonga people on both sides of the dam strongly believe that the tremors were movements of the revered Nyami Nyami spirit at the lake.

The Nyami Nyami, otherwise known as the Zambezi River God or Zambezi Snake spirit, is one of the most important gods of the Tonga people. Nyami Nyami is believed to protect the Tonga people and give them sustenance in difficult times. The River God is usually portrayed as male.

These tremors are a common occurrence in the area around the Kariba Dam.

Scientifically, the tremors are referred to as load induced tremors or specifically reservoir induced tremors in the case of the Kariba Dam and are a result of the earth crust’s response to the water load or weight of water given the size of the dam.

These tremors have been occurring since 1963 when the Kariba Dam started filling. Over 1000 tremors of magnitude 4.0 as the most recent tremors occurred since filling of the dam in 1963.

African mythology of the local Tonga tribe of the Zambezi Valley states that Nyami Nyami the River God who lives in Lake Kariba is believed to be a serpent-like creature. He is said to be about three metres wide, but nobody dares to guess at his length.

Legends has it that the water stains red when he swims past. Chief Sampakaruma saw him on two occasions many years ago, but the river god has been in hiding since the white men arrived in the country.

According to African mythology he lived under a large rock close to the present day Kariba dam wall. No tribesman would venture near it those few who did were sucked down with their canoes in the whirlpools and never seen again. They called the rock Kariwa, the “trap” and hence the name of the lake, Kariba.

The rising water of lake Kariba covered the rock Kariwa and it now lies 30 metres below the surface annoying Nyami Nyami. The Tonga people also believe that Nyami Nyami is married and that the building of Kariba Dam wall would separate him from his wife, this would anger him greatly and the river god threatened the peace of the valley.

Traditionalists believe that the latest tremors were not an earthquake but it was the Nyami Nyami moving at the base of the dam.

The Kariba Dam’s water level ended last year at its lowest in 23 years, but in the last three weeks data from three major river flow stations along the Zambezi River, show a tremendous water flow towards the giant lake.

Kariba Dam is Zimbabwe’s largest power station, with capacity to produce 1 050MW, but is currently generating electricity at curtailed level due to critically low water levels following the drought experienced in the catchment area of the dam’s main feeder river.

When the water levels dwindled last year, the traditionalists believed that the Nyami Nyami was angry.

It is the traditional role of tribal elders and spirit mediums to intercede on behalf the inhabitants of the river valley when Nyami Nyami is angered.

What’s surprising is that the tremors of this magnitude have never affect the structural integrity of the dam. However, as a precaution, the Kariba Dam is inspected after each event and the instruments records analysed for any anomalous behaviour irrespective of the magnitude. The dam was inspected on the 2nd and 3rd April 2020 and the dam instrumentation data was analysed. Analysis of instrumentation data showed that the dam was not affected which was also corroborated by the visual inspections of the dam and its appurtenant structures which showed no structural damage to the dam and its related structures.

Source: Earthquakes Hit Kariba Dam, Local Tradition Says It Was The Nyami Nyami Shaking New Waters In The Lake | ZimEye
OMG yes!!!
 

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