Maputo, 28 Jan (AIM) – Mozambique’s National Roads Administration (ANE) has announced that the country’s main north-south highway, National Road Number One (EN1), may be reopened in the coming days after it was cut by the floods that have engulfed much of southern and central Mozambique.
There are several breaks in EN1, but the most serious is at Incoluane, about 100 kilometres north of Maputo city, where the Incomati river has surged across the road, making it impossible to travel overland between the north and south of the country.
According to (ANE), the emergency rehabilitation work is taking place with flexibility. Three less serious breaks in the road have been repaired with work still needed on three other sections.
The repair of the third cut, between the 3rd February Administrative Post and Incoluane, has been completed and “work has begun on the fourth cut, including the components of lateral erosion to ensure the road’s width”, reads the ANE document.
According to the statement, while EN1 remains impassable, the EN2, which connects Matola city and the municipality of Boane; and EN200, which connects Boane to Bela Vista, have been passable since 22 January, following a decline in water levels.
Since 22 January 22, 48 roads nationwide have been impassable or have restricted transit due to floods. Of these roads, 33 are in the southern region, eight in the central region, and five in the northern region of the country.
“To reverse the situation of the 48 impassable or restricted roads across the country, ANE has sent several technical teams to work on the ground, despite the continued rainfall, which hinders operations”, ANE said.
Given this situation, ANE is calling on motorists to plan their journeys and the transport of passengers, as well as to avoid driving vehicles weighing more than 10 tonnes on unpaved roads.
(AIM)
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