The connection between the provinces of Benguela and Huambo has been temporarily cut due to the volume of water that the Halo river, in the commune of Wiyangombe, in Caimbambo, receives, as a result of heavy rains. Experts point to the lack of regularization of the river as the cause of this problem, which is why they suggest urgent technical intervention
The lateral parts on which the bridge over the Halo River rests are collapsing, a scenario caused by heavy rains that are recorded in the municipalities of Ganda, Cubal and Caimbambo. Speaking to this newspaper, some technicians from the Caimbambo Municipal Administration confided that this was fundamentally due to the lack of regularization of the riverbed. Our sources, many of whom were urgently called to the scene, maintained, however, that the bridge had long needed intervention due to the state of degradation of the infrastructure.
Our interlocutors associate this factor with the lack of regularization of the bed, so that the waters take a defined course. “Here we should, due to the size of the river, have the dikes well built, so that the streets have a single course. Apparently, from what we are seeing here today, this is not going to happen, if there is no intervention, this bridge is capable of collapsing”, highlighted a technician, who did not wish to be identified, as he was not authorized to make statements.
The reporting team from the newspaper OPAÍS observed, at the scene, the movement of regulatory agents diverting traffic to the alternative route, passing through the municipality of Chongoroi. Several motorists, including truck drivers, with whom this newspaper spoke, spoke of enormous constraints, as it will delay a trip that, under normal conditions, from Huambo to Benguela and vice versa, would take 6 hours. regarding ten hours ago.
Many of the trucks were loaded with food and drinks. “These roads that speak to us are really bad. Things happened so quickly and were not improved”, said one of our interlocutors. It should be noted that motorists complain regarding the lack of alternative routes. Until the time our report was made on site, only heavy traffic was being diverted to the Capupa commune.
Meanwhile, the municipal administrator of Caimbambo, José Ferreira, assured, in statements to the newspaper OPAÍS, via telephone, that traffic on that road had already been closed and that it would be repaired. The Provincial Government of Benguela is already aware of the case and, as a result, sent a team of technicians from the National Roads Institute of Angola (INEA).
Just like the bridge over the Halo River, the Kavilumba bridge, in the same corridor, a few kilometers from Cubal, is also showing signs of giving way. This scenario comes at a time when the Minister of Public Works, Carlos Alberto Fonseca, announced, in January, in the province of Huambo, the intervention on national road number 260. This newspaper recently found, in the municipality of Longonjo, in Huambo, the execution of the first phase of work, with traffic diverted into a village.
BY: Constantino Eduardo, in Benguela
