The state-owned company Portos e Caminhos-de-Ferro de Moçambique (CFM) has suspended traffic on the Ressano Garcia and Goba railway lines, which connect Maputo to South Africa and Eswatini, respectively, due to flooding caused by heavy rains, according to information released by Lusa.
The director of railway operations at CFM-Sul, Arnaldo Manjate, explained that several points with structural damage had been identified on the Ressano Garcia line. “On the Ressano Garcia line, we have recorded landslides in some places, where we are already carrying out repair work,” he said.
According to Manjate, the situation worsened in the Moamba area, where the water overflowed the railway platform. “The water covered the platform, and we are opening channels to allow drainage and reduce pressure on the infrastructure,” he explained.
CFM indicated that the main damage includes the washing away of soil, ballast, rails, and sleepers along the affected lines. The interruption of traffic in Ressano Garcia is mainly due to water accumulated at various points, including the Matola-Gare area in the municipality of Matola.
On the Goba line, which connects Maputo to Eswatini, the situation is similar, with traffic also suspended. “The line has been buried and water tends to flow over the tracks due to heavy rains and poor surface water drainage in this area,” explained the official.
These two connections join the Limpopo line, the longest in the southern region, which connects Mozambique to Zimbabwe and where traffic has also been interrupted due to heavy rains affecting the south of the country.
According to Arnaldo Manjate, the resumption of rail traffic is dependent on improved weather conditions and the completion of infrastructure repair works. He added that CFM continues to assess the damage caused by the floods.
The impact of the rains extends to several regions of the country, with the government estimating that 40% of Gaza province is submerged. Since the beginning of the rainy season, at least 103 people have died and 173,000 have been affected, leading to the declaration of a national “red alert.”
