Jalawe rains ruin M1 culvert again

The cries from two funeral processions stranded at Jalawe Bridge in Rumphi perfectly dials up calls for Roads Authority (RA) to make the M1Road resilient to natural disasters.
Almost 40 vehicles were stuck on the disaster-prone stretch when heavy rains swept away the mini-bridge on Tuesday around 10pm.

The lengthy jam comprised a motorcade escorting a body from Blantyre to Chilumba in Karonga for burial yesterday. The other was coming from Lilongwe with a coffin for an 85-year-old granny who died at Zowo in Rumphi North.

The road sparked similar scenes when it sunk in January.
According to eyewitnesses, the flood-prone Jalawe River left the newly renovated patch with a gaping hole that forced the funeral processions to stop for over eight hours.

At day break, the Karonga-bound funeral procession used the Njakwa-Livingstonia-Chitimba Road although it is muddy, bumpy and longer. But out of seven vehicles, only two Toyota Land Cruisers—including an ambulance carrying the body—made the trip.

The other group desperately crossed the flush floods with the coffin on their shoulders hoping to hire a vehicle on the other side.
RA contractors had not arrived on site by 9am.

Four months ago, RA spokesperson Portia Kajanga said the process was underway to identify a contractor to install reinforced concrete box culverts on the spot that has been ravaged three times in two years.

But both travellers and locals described the rehabilitation works as shoddy. 