Road traffic on National Road Number 1 (N1), the main artery connecting the south and north of the country, has been disrupted once again following the formation of a crater along a հատված located in the city of Xai-Xai, Gaza province, the National Roads Administration (ANE) announced, according to Lusa.
According to the agency, the incident occurred on Saturday night after an undermining process was detected in the low-lying area of the Nguluzane River, compromising the stability of the pavement over a seven-meter stretch and across the entire width of the roadway. As a precautionary measure, traffic for all types of vehicles was immediately suspended.
“The contractor is on site working to restore passability, and as soon as conditions are in place, the reopening of traffic will be announced,” ANE said in a statement.
This same հատված had been conditionally reopened on February 6 after being affected by heavy rains and flooding recorded in January, which caused six breaks along the N1. Three weeks after the first disruption, and despite the temporary repair, the infrastructure once again yielded to the force of the المياه.
According to preliminary data from the National Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction (INGD), since the beginning of the year flooding in several regions of the country has caused 25 deaths, affected more than 724,000 people—the equivalent of 170,392 families—and resulted in 147 injuries and nine missing persons. A total of 3,587 houses were also damaged, of which 885 were completely destroyed and 166,081 flooded. Since October, when the rainy season began, the cumulative death toll has reached 191 people, with 291 injured and 845,144 citizens affected. The government declared a national red alert on January 16.
According to INGD, 77 accommodation centers are currently active, housing 78,407 displaced people, and damage has been recorded in 229 health units, 323 schools, 14 bridges, and approximately 3,783 kilometers of roads.
The impact also extends to the agricultural sector, with 440,906 hectares of crops affected, of which 275,405 have been declared lost, impacting 314,783 farmers. The death of 412,446 head of livestock further worsens the situation.
Several countries and international organizations, including the European Union, the United States, Portugal, Angola, Spain, Timor-Leste, Switzerland, Norway, Japan, China, France, Germany, and neighboring nations, have already mobilized and sent emergency humanitarian aid.
Source: Diário Económico
