Lake Kashiba

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Lake Kashiba
Coordinates	13°27′S 27°56′ECoordinates: 13°27′S 27°56′E
Basin countries	Zambia
Surface area	3.5 ha
Max. depth	100 m

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Lake Kashiba is situated south-west of Luanshya, close to Mpongwe and St Anthony's Mission. 13°27'S, 27°56'E.

It is the best known of the several small, very deep pools in the Ndola district which have always been called "the sunken lakes." They are found in limestone and were caused by the action of water on the rock, dissolving it and forming caves which eventually collapsed, leaving deep holes filled with water. Kashiba is the most impressive and means "small lake." It is about 3.5 hectares in area and about 100 metres deep. The water level is about 10 metres below the surrounding forest, and through the clear blue water, fish are easy to see mostly bream, with some barbel.

Local legends warn that you not eat fish from Kashiba because even if you leave the fish on the fire all day and all night, it will not be cooked. Kashiba is also said to contain a monster called “Ichitapa” or “lsoka lkulu.” When a man stands on the rocks at the lake’s edge, with his shadow over the water, the monster comes up from the depths and catches the shadow, so that the victim becomes paralysed and falls in the water.