CAPE TOWN, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The recent floods in South Africa have caused extensive damage to the country's largest and world-renowned game reserve, Kruger National Park, with losses estimated at nearly half a billion rand (about 30 million U.S. dollars).
South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment Willie Aucamp made the remarks at a media briefing in Cape Town, the legislative capital, on Thursday.
Since the onset of the severe weather on Jan. 9, more than 600 staff members and guests have been evacuated, according to the minister.
Heavy rainfall has caused extensive flooding in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, resulting in loss of life and widespread damage to property and infrastructure.
The park sustained damage to roads, bridges, staff villages, tourist facilities, as well as water and electrical systems, with 15 camps closed and tourism operations suspended, Aucump said.
"Despite this devastation to infrastructure and operations, the most important highlight is that no lives were lost," he said.
"The combined scale of infrastructure damage and operational disruption in the recent flooding has exceeded the park's existing contingency and maintenance budgets," he added.
Between Jan. 9 and 19, Kruger National Park recorded 24,073 guest entries, a 41 percent decline compared with the same period last year.
"There is no doubt that the park faces immediate to medium term revenue losses as a result of this," said Aucump.
However, the minister noted that before the heavy rains struck, animals were able to sense the impending danger from the north, and those in the southern parts of the park moved to higher-lying areas.
Aucump added that South African National Parks, the body responsible for managing the country's national parks, has launched the Kruger Recovery Fund to support recovery and restoration efforts. ■