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Overloaded truck causes bridge collapse; traffic interrupted between Liupo and Angoche – reports
3:50 CAT | 07 Nov 2018
Photo: Vasquinho King / Facebook
A lorry has allegedly brought down the bridge over the Mutomote River, linking the districts of Angoche and Liupo in Nampula province, O País reports. The vehicle was carrying 86 umbila tree-trunks, reportedly too much weight for the metallic bridge, adds Wamphula Fax.
There were no casualties, but by the end of Tuesday morning, the truck was still in place, blocking the road. Locals fear that the coming rains will cut the route for good, although it has offered little security for a long time.
“This is the second time. The first time, a truck carrying cement collapsed the bridge on the Angoche side,” one of the road’s frequent users said.
The authorities sought to verify the legality of the driver’s documentation and that of his cargo. Meanwhile, the man reportedly attempted to escape surveillance pending the inspection, refused to show his driving license, and was taken to the cells of the Angoche district police command.
As for the licences, some have expired deadlines and some show extended validity dates.
Traffic between Angoche and Liupo is cut since Monday, Radio Moçambique reports today.
Florentino de Sousa, a technician from the National Roads Administration, told Rádio Moçambique that the collapse of the bridge was caused by over-loading of the truck carrying timber.
He said that this is one of the problems that has often occurred and added that it has frequently been experienced in Nampula province, especially on tertiary roads.
“On those metal bridges, the maximum tonnage is 24 and he passed through and fell with the bridge. He ruined the bridge and this will bring costs to the state, which is without the resources to face these expenses. Colleagues were there to go see what happened, the traffic is interrupted, the truck is still in place. As to the Liúpo district government, the only measure taken was to pick up the driver and place him in police custody, to see if he responds in court. We also had trouble at the Lalaua bridge, where a Chinese logger brought down the bridge, ” he said.
Florentino de Sousa added that this problem may be linked to the lack of scales for cargo control in the province.
Source: O Páis / Wamphula Fax / Rádio Moçambique
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funny the wooden box in the forefront of the photo. could find its way in the container with the umbila trunks and in the box elephant tusks, etc, etc