Storm leaves disaster

SIKHUPHE – The heavy rains that fell over the past weekend not only caused damage to several residences but also struck along the Sikhuphe airport construction site.

Construction workers were surprised to discover that equipment worth approximately E400 000 was washed away while in the Shiselweni region over 20 homesteads were destroyed by similar heavy rains.

At Sikhuphe the equipment had been on the bank of Sulutane River at a construction site, about six kilometres away from the Mpaka/Manzini highway. This is along the Sikhuphe public road which is currently under construction.
S&B Site-foreman Augusto Quintela explained that a temporary earth dam which was situated about 200 metres from a bridge which they are constructing, burst.

“Besides, washing away the equipment, the rain caused damage on the site and it will take some time to rapair,” he said.
He then appealed to members of the public who reside along the river bank to return the material if they happen to find it.
In the event they fail to retrieve some of the equipment, he said they would have to liaise with their insurance company.

 
Asked about the effects of the damage, Quintela said it had delayed the construction time frame.
“We will lose about a week or more in clearing and cleaning. However, before the rains, we were on schedule,” he said.
When the newspaper arrived at the site, some workers were found clearing the area using a compressor to pump-out water. Others were searching for the beams that have been washed away.

Fortunately, there was not much damage to homesteads that are situated along the river banks because they are far.
Residents were found tilting their fields.  
He anticipated that the road will be completed by April 2010.

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