Day by day it got warmer. Then it was also humid. More and more clouds appeared in the sky. And then it finally happened: after months of absolute drought, the first rain fell before and during the past weekend.
South and east of Otjiwarongo in the northern centre of Namibia, there was widespread rainfall. Between 20 and 40 mm fell on consecutive days.
Windhoek received up to 30 mm. Farmers in the surrounding area reported up to 80 mm. The long-term average annual rainfall in this region is around 300 mm.
Kaokoland in north-east Namibia also received heavy rainfall. Near Opuwo it was 20 mm, near Epupa even 40 mm. The rain gauge stations also recorded rainfall in the dry south. Locally there was up to 20 mm.
Dry rivers flowed in many areas. At the Waterberg, the flash floods in some places tore deep trenches into the D 2512 sand road.
However, media reports that the road was no longer passable proved exaggerated. Farmers in the area confirmed to Namibian.org on inquiry that one can easily get through with a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Some reservoirs have been receiving their first inflow for many months. The Omatako and Von Bach reservoirs were previously practically dry.
Namibia is suffering from a severe drought. The past two rainy seasons have been well below average. Windhoek and other places have long imposed strict measures to save water.
Sven-Eric Stender