Hoaruseb floods reaches the Atlantic

Monday 22 March 2021

Wildlife response

Arrival of the floodwaters along the Hoaruseb river changed the dynamics for the wildlife species that utilised the dry riverbed for food and water. The muddy floodwaters quickly covered most of the available vegetation and is generally not palatable due to a high topsoil content. Most of the animals moved out of the riverbed. The two Orphan lionesses abandoned the remainder of their zebra carcasses.

Elephant feeding in the Hoaruseb river one day before arrival of the floodwaters

Two gemsboks retreat into the dunes ahead of the floodwaters

Elephant bull on the north side of the flooding Hoaruseb river

Second surge

A second wave of floodwaters reached the border of the Skeleton Coast National Park at midnight on 19 March 2021. This was a significantly larger flood that ran from bank to bank and carried large tree stumps and debris through to the ocean.

Sunset in the Hoaruseb river before arrival of the second flood

Sunrise in the Hoaruseb river after the second flood

Dramatic images of the Hoaruseb river in full flood
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Floodwaters at the “Springbok gorge” in the lower Hoaruseb river

The Hoaruseb river depositing rainwater and topsoil into the Atlantic Ocean