Five districts of Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province have been on lockdown since Saturday

The population of five districts in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province has been isolated since Saturday evening due to the closure of the Napacala River crossing on the National Road 380 (EN380) in Macomia, authorities said.

The situation affects the population of the districts of Muidumbe, Nangade, Mueda, Mocimboa da Praia and Palma in the north of the country, who cannot travel by land, along the EN380 highway, in the Awasse-Macomia and Vice-Presidential Post area. on the contrary, due to the closure of the crossing due to heavy rainfall recorded in recent days.

“When I found out about this, I was scared and sad because I had to interrupt my trip to Nampula to buy goods,” explained a trader from the headquarters of the Mocimboa da Praia district to Lusa, who was preparing to travel to Nampula, where I walked behind the counter with the dishes.

The collapse of the bridge over the Napakala River in the city of Macomia not only jeopardized the movement of the population, but also hampered the mobility of defense and security forces fighting terrorist groups in the region less than a kilometer away. , which caused concern among residents.

“We have no choice, the biggest fear is how the military there in Chete will help us in case of a terrorist invasion,” asked a 69-year-old woman from the Macomia district headquarters.

The National Road Administration (ANE) in a statement confirmed the closure of the crossing and explained that work is currently underway to restore vehicle traffic until January 23.

Meanwhile, road connectivity to the northern areas could alternatively be provided via the Sunate-Metoro-Momtepues-Nairoto-Mueda route, he added.

This road is 200 kilometers long and was one of the busiest when terrorist groups operating in Cabo Delgado for more than six years controlled the EN380 highway in the Sunate-Macomia section.