Quipungo – A train of passengers on the Moçâmedes Railway (CFM) derailed Monday in the village of Tuntum, in the municipality of Quipungo, province of Huíla, without any casualties.
The accident occurred at around 2:40 pm, moments after the public company, based in Lubango, reported that trip between Lubango and Matala had been interrupted, as the rainfall destroyed a hydraulic passage and washed away the ballast that supports the line, in the section between the towns of Chanja and Olivença, 60 kilometers from Lubango.
The accident train was coming from the Quipungo/Olivença direction to transfer passengers from the locomotive that left Lubango, but was unable to reach its destination (Matala), due to damage to the line, the director told ANGOP today, Tuesday. from the CFM communications office, Jacob Hipólito.
He pointed out that no victims resulted from the disaster, because the train was empty, “but there is extensive material damage”, with technical teams working on site.
However, he informed that while the work is ongoing and to maintain the railway connection between Huíla and Cuando Cubango, it began today, Tuesday, to run passenger trains between the cities of Matala and Menongue.
Passenger trips follow the current schedule, that is, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the Matala/Menongue direction and on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, in the opposite direction.
In its weekly schedule, the company offers two freight trains per day from Lubango to Namibe, as well as six frequencies of passenger trains on a total route of 806 kilometers that pass through 56 stations in the provinces of Namibe, Huíla and Cuando Cubango. MS/DOJ
