Traffic along Mozambique’s main north-south highway (EN1) in Maputo province began flowing again on Friday after an interruption of almost two weeks, caused by catastrophic flooding.
The road was cut in six separate places by the flood waters of the Incomati River. The most serious of these was a stretch of about three kilometres between Incoluane and the 3rd February administrative post, in Manhica district.
Giving a press conference in Manhica town on Friday, Transport Minister Joao Matlombe said the immediate solution was to build three or four aqueducts on each damaged stretch of EN1 which would allow the flood waters to flow underneath the highway.
Matlombe told reporters that the repairs have allowed the resumption of about 60 per cent of the normal flow of traffic between Gaza and Maputo along EN1.
“The importance of this reopening is crucial”, said the Minister. “We now have almost 60 per cent of the traffic coming from Gaza covered”.
He said the government has budgeted 50 million US dollars for a much larger intervention on EN1, covering about 35 kilometres in the Incoluane area. The government is working with its partners on the details of this intervention and how costs can be minimised.
Further north, in Chokwe district, EN1 goes through the heart of Gaza province, and this area remains completely blocked by flood waters. The commercial and administrative neighbourhoods of the provincial capital, Xai-Xai, are still under water, and it is impossible to reach the upper, residential part of the city by road.
According to Matlombe, about 5,200 kilometres of the Mozambican road network has been affected by the current flooding. A preliminary estimate for restoring the complete network is 3.5 million dollars.
Photo: Ministério dos Transportes e Logistica
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