Madagascar: Road infrastructure devastated by floods

Since last Sunday, the northern region of the island has been experiencing heavy rains. Despite the decrease in intensity of cyclone Gamane, the accompanying rains have caused damage.

Aside from houses, schools, and other buildings, road infrastructure is the primary target of cyclones and heavy rains. Especially after a flood, roads are destroyed and national roads are often cut off, which has an impact on the economy. The deterioration of roads makes it difficult to supply the population with food products. This is the case for rice and vegetables. Currently, the Score supermarket has transformed its vegetable shelf into carton fruit juice, due to the difficulties faced by trucks coming from the capital to pass.

Thus, after the Sava region, the Diana region has been affected during this holy week, with several interruptions on the RN6 connecting Ambanja to Antsiranana.

It all started last Wednesday with the interruption of traffic on the national road RN5A connecting Ambilobe to Iharana, recently inaugurated, specifically on the Manakolana bridge PK91+100, where the access embankment was washed away by the waters. The torrential rains that fell in various parts of the regions this week also battered the road infrastructure on the RN6.

On the routes connecting Antsiranana to Ambanja, seven interruptions were recorded. These include the bridges at PK 531+400 where the bypass was washed away by the floods, at PK 537+109 at Ifasy where the access embankment on the Ambilobe side was washed away by the floods, at PK 137+327 the abutment on the Ambilobe side was washed away by the floods with the collapse of the last span of the bridge… Users who have taken this route are forced to take detours or transfer.

Tragic Outcome

But the most tragic situation is the state of the Mahavavy bridge at PK 568 where the first span on the south side of Ambanja collapsed due to the strong floods of the Mahavavy river, which detached it from the tarmac with a breach of over 50 meters. Road traffic is completely blocked. It is also made complicated in several areas due to flooded roads. According to the latest reports, part of these interruptions has been restored by the Colas company.

Furthermore, with the strong flood of the Mahavavy river, the nearby crop fields have all been destroyed. According to preliminary statistics compiled by the Ambilobe district, several infrastructures have been devastated by the rain, fields and rice paddies are under water. There are 8,958 flooded houses, 2,013 damaged houses, and 42,913 affected people. Flooded hectares of rice fields have been recorded. From Antsohimbondrona to Ambilobe, the Mantaly ford is submerged, the road along Tanambao Mantaly becomes rivers. Cattle, people, and property are swept away by the water. Several culverts along the national road have collapsed.

Raheriniaina