The Hoarusib River is an ephemeral river in the

Kunene Region Kunene is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia. Its capital is Opuwo, its governor is Vipuakuje Muharukua. The region's name comes from the Kunene River which forms the northern border with Angola. Geography Besides the capital Opuwo, the reg ...

of north-western

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

. Its source is near the regional capital Opuwo, and the river flows through the Tonnesen and Giraffe Mountains into the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

. The Hoarusib occasionally carries surface water during the

rainy season The rainy season is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Rainy Season may also refer to: * ''Rainy Season'' (short story), a 1989 short horror story by Stephen King * "Rainy Season", a 2018 song by Monni * '' ...

from November to February/March. The

catchment area A catchment area in human geography, is the area from which a location, such as a city, service or institution, attracts a population that uses its services and economic opportunities. Catchment areas may be defined based on from where people are ...

of the Hoarusib is . The name Hoarusib is thought to have originated from the geology of this stretch as the Nama word "!naruseb" means "water which twists and turns through a narrow gorge." It is known for its steep canyon walls of black and red

volcanic rock Volcanic rocks (often shortened to volcanics in scientific contexts) are rocks formed from lava erupted from a volcano. Like all rock types, the concept of volcanic rock is artificial, and in nature volcanic rocks grade into hypabyssal and me ...

, and the strange makalani palms which grows from the pips washed down from upstream. Also found near the banks are "clay castle" formations created by the gradual deposition and erosion of clay.

Sources

Rivers of Namibia Geography of Kunene Region {{Namibia-river-stub