MYITKYINA- Due to a landslide, a bridge collapsed under the weight of the rubble and soil along Winemaw-Kanpaikte Road, a border region between Kachin State and China on th e evening of October 14th.

The recent continuous rainfall is the root cause of the collapsed bridge in upper part of Sadone Township, Kachin State.

“The torrential rain poured down at night of October 14th and it caused the landslide. A 173-ft long bridge also collapsed under the weight of the soil due from the landslide. The director and assistant director from the Road Department under the Ministry of Transport and Communications from the Kachin State Government Committee are now inspecting the incident. We have yet to get int touch with them. Landslides take place on this road every year without having a bridge collapsing. Now, the heavy rainfall is regional. We have yet to hear of other landslides along other roads,” said Win Naing Tun, Officer from Road Department in Kachin State..

At present, trucks and passenger cars travelling to Kanpaikte have been postponed. Access to commodities have been cut off as the route have been cut off to Kanpaikte.

“The vehicles were blocked. No vehicles can run their services or use the road. It is a major landslide which had caused the collapsed bridge. Only landslides used to take place in the past. Per day, at least 50 vehicles cross over the bridge. The vehicles carrying the Chinese-tissue bananas were also blocked. I think repair efforts will be carried out soon,” said Driver Ko Nge.

In the rainy season, landslides occur yearly on Winemaw-Manweingyi-Chiphwe road section, Winemaw-Kanpaikte-China road section, Myitkyina-Swanprabun-Puta-O road section and Puta-O- Dakharu-Naungmon road section.

The Kanpaikte, Lwejel and Panwar gateways are the main exits and links between China and Kachin State.