SENGA BAY, Lake Malawi - More than 30 people crossing southern Africa through Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe on the second annual 4x4 African Adventure have bogged down in heavy rain in Malawi.
On April 1 2013, Day 13 of the group’s odyssey which was scheduled to reach its start point in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on April 7, was halted by flooding from Lake Malawi whose level rose by 1.5m. The convoy is now "stranded indefinitely".
Since this article was published Wheels24 has been informed that it was one of those stupid April Fool jokes. We published the item in good faith after checking weather conditions in Malawi but now believe it was in appallingly poor taste - especially for relatives and friends of those on the trip. We apologise if any such people were distressed. - The Editor
A Malawi government spokesman confirmed the lake's height between Senga Bay and Blantyre, adding that bridges had b een washed away.
POSSIBLE 10-DAY DELAY
A statement by the 4x4 African Adventure read: “Traffic is being diverted back towards the Mchinji border post in Zambia but this route is already heavily congested, with a backlog of trucks and cars stretching back more than 150km.”
Adventure Junkies leader Wimpie Smit and Continental Tyre SA’s marketing manager Russel Stewart agreed there were no other other than waiting for the flood to subside and then assessing options.
Stewart said the group could be delayed for as long as 10 days and that crews and families would just have to endure the long wait.
Stewart said: “We tried several routes out but the team we sent to recce the roads nearly drowned their vehicles and got heavily stuck.
“We’re simply not willing to take that chance with 10 vehicles and several families in the convoy so for now we’re staying put at Senga Bay."
Follow the group’s adventures on Facebook and Twitter.
On April 1 2013, Day 13 of the group’s odyssey which was scheduled to reach its start point in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on April 7, was halted by flooding from Lake Malawi whose level rose by 1.5m. The convoy is now "stranded indefinitely".
Since this article was published Wheels24 has been informed that it was one of those stupid April Fool jokes. We published the item in good faith after checking weather conditions in Malawi but now believe it was in appallingly poor taste - especially for relatives and friends of those on the trip. We apologise if any such people were distressed. - The Editor
A Malawi government spokesman confirmed the lake's height between Senga Bay and Blantyre, adding that bridges had b een washed away.
POSSIBLE 10-DAY DELAY
A statement by the 4x4 African Adventure read: “Traffic is being diverted back towards the Mchinji border post in Zambia but this route is already heavily congested, with a backlog of trucks and cars stretching back more than 150km.”
Adventure Junkies leader Wimpie Smit and Continental Tyre SA’s marketing manager Russel Stewart agreed there were no other other than waiting for the flood to subside and then assessing options.
Stewart said the group could be delayed for as long as 10 days and that crews and families would just have to endure the long wait.
Stewart said: “We tried several routes out but the team we sent to recce the roads nearly drowned their vehicles and got heavily stuck.
“We’re simply not willing to take that chance with 10 vehicles and several families in the convoy so for now we’re staying put at Senga Bay."
Follow the group’s adventures on Facebook and Twitter.