The mighty Orange River, largest river in  South Africa, flows through many landscapes. One of them is the Augrabies Falls. Here are some pics of the Falls taken just the other day in all its glory, river flowing at 5000 cumecs (ie. 5000 cubic feet per second). Look at the size of the people on the viewing deck to get some idea of the sheer volume of this water!! There is something quite special about witnessing the power of nature.

Orange River Facts

The 1988 flood peaked at an estimated 8,300 cumecs or 293,111 cubic feet per second.
The Boegoeberg Dam wall is 10.2 m high, 626 m in length and took 12 years to build (1920-1932).
Lesotho is a land-locked kingdom.
There are no hippos and crocodiles in the Orange River.
Orania has its own currency called the `ORA´, it can only be earned and traded in this town.
Upington is the only city on the banks of the Orange River.
The river near Kakamas and Keimoes reaches across to 4.5 km in width.
105 mm of rain fell in the district of Prieska on the 20 February 2009, breaking a 26 year old record.
985 cumecs flowed through Augrabies Falls on 10 March 2009 at 10:00 a.m.
The Orange River watershed drains approx. 77% of South Africa´s land area.
Augrabies Falls is 122m high.
The source in the Drakensberg Moutains is at an altitude above 9500 feet.

The level of the flooded Orange River at Upington has started to subside while water levels further west, towards Pofadder, have started to rise, authorities said on Saturday.

SA National Defence Force spokesperson Colonel Kobus Etzebeth said they were receiving more and more requests to monitor or help with food parcels lower down the Orange River towards Pofadder in the west.

He said air force aircraft fly twice a day to help with the distributing of food parcels to people on islands in the river or help people who were cut off from the outside world due to the rising water.

Three people were airlifted between Witbank and Pella after flood water cut them off from their route home.

Etzebeth said five more people would be airlifted on Saturday afternoon from an island after they initially decided to stay.

"Many people on islands in the river initially decided to stay and look after their vineyards and were supplied with food parcels, but now they want to get off."

More food parcels would be delivered to other islands where people decided to stay. The food parcels were enough to feed a family for two weeks.

Spokesperson for the Siyanda District Municipality Gilbert Lategan said the emergency wall near Kakamas was washed away.

This he said resulted in the main route between the town and Upington being flooded.

People now have to drive on a gravel road detour towards Kenhardt between the towns.

Lategan said the Orange River level fell to 7.74m above its normal level at Upington on Saturday. No serious incidents had been reported due to the flooding on Saturday.