(African Press Agency) — A big bridge which collapsed in northern Ethiopia, about 600 kilometers from Addis Ababa, disconnected land transport with the capital, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded. The Ethiopian Transport ministry said on Friday evening that the bridge collapsed due to heavy rain in the area.
According to the ministry, the Garlo Bridge, near the town of Gonder collapsed on Thursday evening, disconnecting the area and the rest of the country.
Gonder is one of Ethiopia’s big towns which is regularly visited by tourists to see the area’s various historical sites and castles. The town has an estimated population of over 500,000 people.
“When the bridge collapsed on Thursday evening, there was at least one vehicle on it, and the fate of its passengers is not yet known,” the ministry said.
The ministry also indicated that hundreds of other transports and public buses were stranded around the bridge.
However, the ministry said that it is working to construct an alternative road to allow the hundreds of vehicles stranded in the area to continue their journey.
Garlo Bridge is one of the main and biggest bridges in Ethiopia, built over 50 years ago. The bridge also connects various small towns in the area.
The rainy season in Ethiopia often results in heavy floods in various parts of the country, sometimes resulting in heavy property damage in various regions of the country.
During the 2006 rainy season, for instance, over 600 people died due to heavy floods in various parts of the country while hundreds of thousands people were displaced from their villages and homes.
9 thoughts on “Collapsed bridge disconnects Gonder from the rest of Ethiopia”
Hard to believe
To hear a bridge collapsed only after 50 years of servuce is unbelievable because a bridge should have solid structural base as it is common in the field of Civil Engineering. Then, how a bridge used for heavey traffic be erroded by rain or was the bridge was build from mud for cost (economic) or political reasons.
In my opinion, the bridge has been said “collapsed” not because of heavy rain but probably from the beginning the work construction was performed with care and necessary material. The second reason also may be that the area has been neglected by the government who does not care for the people itself let alone to the man-made infrastructure. Does this kind problem exist in other bridges that are old, for example, abbay, Omo or the like?
I could not help but continue to be fascinated by the ethiopian Highlander psyche.
If you tell somebody who is normal that a bridge collapsed, he/she will ask “What happened is it man made or something else?” But for the Habesha mind there is always conspiracy behind every event, even earthquake.
I hope people are not going to say it is woyannes fault.
S#*%t happens. It happened here in US not long ago.
Belina: Nice and Logical comment.
We need to start to think Critically.Afterall, If anybody have to be better than Woyanne Please comment responsibly. We cant change things because we Curse ppl or woyanne.
Hi just reading this report on the bridge collapse, experienced the same in 2000 with a smaller bridge between Gondar and Bah a Dahr…. Would like to question where the writer of this got their facts from, Gondar town has nowhere near 500,000 population, possibly he whole region but not the town
Considering weyane’s crimes and total disregard for the people’s well being, it cannot be ruled out that it is capable of doing such dubious acts just to punish the people it doesn’t like by cutting back funds that could have been used for the periodic inspections and maintainance of the bridge or make it collapse through other means. When you have a hostile government to its own people like weyane, you will be tempted to explore all possibilities.
Question to Meles: What is your plan? Give Gondar to Sudan, since the demarcation would be easier now…….
I wouldn’t be surprised if rebuilding this bridge has the lowest priority…..
Belina great comment.
In order to stay in power and plunder Ethiopia, TPLF has been doing every thing at its disposal. Demolishing a bridge is not new for Meles Zenawi. He has been doing it in the past. The whole world knows that Woyanes have been robbing Ethiopia banks, schools, hospitals, churches, mosques, homes etc.
I would like to extend my heartfelt sorrow to all the victims of this “Bridge collapse” tragedy.
The “Bridge collapse” accident is not surprising, because everything collapses; What surprises me is the COLLAPSE OF THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
“ABAT BIMOT, ZEMED BIMOT BAGER YEALEQESSAL”
“AGER BIMOT WEDET YEADERESSAL?”
Remeber the above Ethiopian heroic poem, the death of a country is the end of settlement. (Wedet yeaderessal?)
The negligence grown in the country is collapsing everything. Our people are collapsing because of famin/hunger, and our country collapses because of leadership.
Would you please ORGANIZE DONATION PROGRAM, SO THAT WE MAY HELP ALL THE HUNGRY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
GOD FORGIVE US!