Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LOME387
2008-07-29 10:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Lome
Cable title:  

RAIN AND FLOODING WASH OUT BRIDGE ON MAIN

Tags:  ECON ETRD EAID SENV TO 
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R 291024Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY LOME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8675
INFO AMEMBASSY ACCRA 
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 
AMEMBASSY COTONOU 
AMEMBASSY NIAMEY 
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU 
AMEMBASSY PARIS
UNCLAS LOME 000387 


ACCRA FOR USAID
AID/W FOR OFDA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAID SENV TO
SUBJECT: RAIN AND FLOODING WASH OUT BRIDGE ON MAIN
NORTH/SOUTH CORRIDOR

UNCLAS LOME 000387


ACCRA FOR USAID
AID/W FOR OFDA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAID SENV TO
SUBJECT: RAIN AND FLOODING WASH OUT BRIDGE ON MAIN
NORTH/SOUTH CORRIDOR


1. SUMMARY: Regions of central and southern Togo have been
experiencing heavy rainfall leading to loss of life, flooding
and most recently the washing out of a strategic bridge on
the main North/South road. Travelers between Lome and
northern Togo and the Sahel states will need to build in
extra time into their itineraries for the foreseeable future.
END SUMMARY.

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General situation
--------------

2. Togo's rainy season this year has proven to be quite
generous. Although nearing and end in the southern and
central part of the country as it releases its precipitation
on the North and in the Sahel, the rains have been diluvian
in some parts of lower Togo since mid-month. There has been
extensive damage in the city of Atakpame in central Togo,
particularly in low lying areas where people have foolishly
built homes, only to have flood waters sweep through them.
In one nearby village four people died when lightening struck
their house. Crop damage has been reported. The city of
Vogan and surrounding areas in southeastern Togo have also
been seriously affected, with television footage showing
inhabitants standing in artificial lakes and stagnant water.
Many inhabitants have been evacuated from their flooded
homes. As rain water begins to dry up, more heavy rain has
fallen, with rivers swelling beyond capacity.

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Major thoroughfare cut
--------------

3. The most serious damage occurred July 27, when three days
of rainfall washed out a bridge over the Haho river, some 85
kms north of Lome. The bridge was a strategic passage point
on the main North/South road linking Lome to the Sahel
countries, and a roaring river now passes through there
instead. The Prime Minister and Minister of Territorial
Administration visited the site the same day to inspect
damage.


4. Until the bridge is rebuilt, all traffic going North from
Lome towards Atakpame (and vice-versa) will be required to
detour via Kpalime (120 kms northwest of Lome) and cut back
towards Atakpame, north of the washed out bridge. The detour
will take at least 1 1/2 hours to cover the additional 60 kms.


5. Togo's North/South corridor, known as the gateway to the
Sahel, is a major strategic/economic axis not only for Togo,
but also for Burkina-Faso, Mali and Niger. Many imported
goods arrive via the ports of Cotonou and Lome and are
trucked north to the Sahel countries. Gasoline and cement
are also hauled by truck from Lome towards the North via that
roadway. The detour via Kpalime will not only lengthen the
time it takes to reach Atakpame, but will most likely also
causes traffic jams throughout the detour area. The road
north via Kpalime is not built to accommodate massive truck,
container and passenger traffic -- using it for a lengthy
period of time may cause serious damage to that road and may
also result in serious traffic accidents. The GOT is
especially afraid the small bridges along the detour route
may not be able to support the heavy trucks for long.

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Emergency meeting
--------------

6. Prime Minister Mally held an emergency meeting July 28 to
discuss the situation and decide on how best to address the
washed out bridge. The GOT considers the bridge situation as
"very serious" and is preoccupied by the economic
ramifications of halted or decreased truck traffic to the
North. One participant told us that one important concern is
that if direct access to the North is not restored quickly,
then food and goods distributors might profit from the
situation and drastically hike up prices. With the already
tense climate surrounding Togo food and fuel prices, fear was
expressed that it could have dire consequences on the welfare
of the Togolese population.


7. The ministers decided to solicit construction company
bids for the strengthening of an existing metal railroad
bridge 3 kms east of the washed out bridge. Interested
construction companies will be given the opportunity to
travel to the site today and will be required to submit a bid
to the Ministry of Transportation within 24 hours. Ideally,
a company will be selected on July 29 and work on the
railroad bridge would begin at the end of the week. This
bridge, once solidified and converted to allow road traffic,
would be a one-way thruway with an alternating traffic
pattern allowing traffic from the North and from the South to
cross over the river.


8. The GOT is also seeking assistance in acquiring a
prefabricated 80 meter bridge to quickly replace the one
washed out thus enabling the resumption of normal traffic to
and from the North within a few months.


9. COMMENT: Unless a solution can be found quickly, all
travel north will be severely affected for the foreseeable
future. Persons planning to travel to the coast from the
interior need to factor in several additional hours for any
trip southward.


TWINING