Back to the Lab

Saved from a flash flood

Cloud school
2009 | Eastern Province, Zambia

Also:

I really, really hate that I have to state this, but there’s so much Generative AI-slop out there (yes, even content that pretends to be scientific). Know that I do not use AI for any of my writings, visuals nor thoughts. It’s all written and visualised by a human, meaning me, unless stated otherwise. Therefore, you can always reach out to me if there’s anything factually or grammatically incorrect.

Now, thank you for your interest in this page – I hope you enjoy it!

Flash flood in Zambia

During the rain season in 2009, one of my uncles and his wife were caught in a flash flood. Rain from a nearby thunderstorm had caused a local river to swell – coincidentally a river my uncle and aunt were about to cross while in a taxi. Not exactly a health decision, the taxi driver drove over the bridge as the quickly rising flood waters overcame the road. The car was then carried tens of metres downstream before being parked at a tree. All occupants eventually and luckily got out by breaking the windshield of the taxi and survived.

The picture below is of such a thunderstorm system in Zambia that can turn roads into rivers and bridges into log jams. I’ve written in another post about the interaction between building traditions and weather. In the case of floods from thunderstorms, these can happen within minutes and claim lives each rain season.

All three pictures were taken by my father. Glad my uncle and aunt made it.