Rail traffic on Mozambique’s Ressano Garcia line in Maputo province came to a standstill this week following the derailment of a train in the Chinculo area.
According to the local police in Maputo province, the freight train, which was transporting chrome ore, was travelling from Ressano Garcia to Maputo with 50 wagons, six of which derailed on Sunday, blocking the line. Two wagons overturned completely.
Police said no one was injured in the accident.
However, police who were mobilised to the scene to maintain security, said several concrete sleepers had been severely damaged.
Technicians responded to assess the cause of the accident and the damage. Work on repairing the line got under way on Monday and was expected to last for a day, although it remains unclear whether the line has reopened at this stage.
The 88km Ressano Garcia line is a vital link between Mozambique and South Africa, running from the Port of Maputo to Ressano Garcia, allowing 12 trains to travel a day in both directions.
