Young man swept to his death in Beira

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Young man swept to his death in Beira

3:51 CAT | 27 Jan 2021

Photo: O País

An 18-year-old boy drowned in Beira while trying to cross a bridge covered by rainwater on the day cyclone Eloise made landfall in the city.

The bridge, made from already degraded wood, connects the Macurungo and Matacuane neighbourhoods. To cross, residents use sticks denoting the limits of the roadway.

The victim, Horácio Sebastião, died on Saturday morning, swept away from his three friends as they searched for somewhere to shelter from the heavy rain and strong winds.

His body was found late on Monday afternoon. Horácio was in 11th grade, his aunt said. “We are very shocked by his death, and we call on the authorities to rehabilitate the bridge or build a new one, to ensure a safe crossing.”

Residents of Matacuane, the area where the young man drowned, said it was not the first time that a person had slipped and died on the bridge. The problem recurs whenever there is heavy rain, because the infrastructure is submerged and needs to be rebuilt.

“Our neighbourhood is not doing well in terms of sanitation. Whenever rain falls there is flooding, and the ditch under the bridge is unable to bear the water, so the bridge is submerged. The crossing is risky but, unfortunately, it is the only connection between the Matacuane and Macurungo neighbourhoods. We urge the municipal authorities to rehabilitate the ditch and the bridge,” says Matacuane resident Ernesto Manuel.

By Francisco Raiva

Source: O País