South African National Parks (SANParks) advises guests to not to use any gravel roads and to stay on the tar.
Guests are further advised not to open blockades or travel on any roads which have been closed and not to cross any low-water bridges as the dangers of being washed away are high.
Visitors will not be able to access the Crocodile Bridge and Malelane Gates due to the flooding of the Crocodile River; also, several other bridges are currently overflowing. SANParks will continue posting updates on the SANParks – Kruger National Park Facebook group as and when information changes.
Guests that need to postpone their bookings within the duration of the floods will be given the option of an immediate date change or credit on their profile to use at a later date.
Arrive Alive has shared these general tips in case you find yourself driving during heavy rain:
- Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of you.
- If the roads are wet, slow down.
- Do not brake suddenly; this may cause the car to skid.
- Only move towards the shoulder if you are able to see 150m ahead of you clearly.
- Beware of oil patches.
- Always change to a lower gear before you take a bend, especially a sharp bend.
- Increase your space cushion by doubling your normal following distance from three seconds to six seconds.
- Turn on your headlights.
- Use your low-beam headlights to see and be seen.
- Wait a minute or two after rain begins before using your windshield wipers; the blades may smear.
The rain forecast for today remains high, caution should be exercised at all times on the roads.