Kavango lodges resume business

SEVERAL lodges along the Okavango River which were closed for over two months after being flooded earlier this year, have resumed business but at a slow pace.

The level of the river continues to drop, and stood at 7,24 metres on yesterday morning, representing a decrease of three centimetres from the previous day.One of the lodges that resumed normal business activities on Sunday after being closed since March 13 this year is the Leevi Hakusembe River Lodge, situated some 10km west of Rundu. Twelve guest rooms, 10 staff rooms and a restaurant at the lodge were all submerged by water for over two months. It was the second time that the lodge closed this year after being closed for two weeks in January this year due to flooding.The manager of the Leevi Hakusembe Lodge, Lena Mudge, told Nampa yesterday that all 14 workers at the lodge who were earlier sent home due to the flooding of the lodge, resumed work on Sunday. Mudge explained that the road leading to the lodge is still flooded, and guests are being transported to and from the lodge by boat.The manager expects to spend about N$200 000 in renovating and repairing the damage caused by the floods. ‘We have started working, and in two weeks’ time, we will be in full operation,’ Mudge enthused.The Samsitu Campsite situated next to the Hakusembe Lodge also resumed normal business operations over the weekend, although the road to the campsite is inaccessible as it is still under water. Meanwhile, the road leading towards the Sarasungu River Lodge is also still under water, and guests are being transported by boats thereto. Sarasungu lodge owner Johannes Grail told this reporter on Monday that his 20 workers are working in shifts until the floodwater subsides completely. This was the third year in a row that the Sarasungu Lodge was flooded.The Nkwazi Lodge, situated some 10km east of Rundu, is also in business again, but the road leading up to the lodge is still unusable. – Nampa

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