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The collapse of La Corniche’s sidewalk : Chinese experts present results of the investigation

20 January 2020

On a working mission to Brazzaville, after the collapse of one side of the sidewalk on the River Congo side of the ledge, Chinese experts, on January 20, 2020, in the conference room of the Ministry of Development, territorial equipment and public works, presented the findings of investigations and analyses of the cause of this catastrophe.

The meeting was chaired by the technical coordinator of public works, Oscar OTOKA, in the presence of the director of cabinet of the Minister of Development, territorial equipment and public works, Dieudonné BANTSIMBA.

The analyses carried out by the experts and the technicians of the company China Road Bridge corporation (CRBC), revealed that the heavy rainfall, which the country is currently experiencing, significantly increased the flood on the Congo River to an unprecedented level.

The increase in water level of the River destabilized the structure of the embankment and there was a landslide on two levels. The first level happened in the water and was not followed. The second, however, led to the collapse of this part of the ledge. The sidewalk and the retaining wall slipped, and collapsed over a length of 180 meters, with a 4-meter offset height, due to climate change.

“The landslide at the banks of the river, the collapse of the retaining wall and the platform of the roadway, were caused by the increased rains and the rising waters on the Congo River. Because the flood exceeded the ten-year water level and caused the retaining walls to collapse” said the head of the Chinese mission, Chi Quambao.

To salvage the situation, the experts proposed two temporary and definite solutions. It has to do with instituting a permanent control over the ledge, clean its roads in order to avoid the infiltration of water under the already damaged roadway and which could precipitate the general degradation of the structure. The company is also responsible for protecting the part not damaged by sandbags, until a final and lasting solution is found. Provisional results from this survey will be given to the Ministry of Development, territorial equipment and public works, in its capacity as Delegated Contracting Authority for validation, before commencing the rehabilitation.

This hypothesis was supported by the technical coordinator of public works, Oscar OTOKA, who supervised the presentation of provisional findings of the investigation.

It has to do with instituting a permanent control over the ledge, clean its roads in order to avoid the infiltration of water under the already damaged roadway and which could precipitate the general degradation of the structure. The company is also responsible for protecting the part not damaged by sandbags, until a final and lasting solution is found.  

Provisional results from this survey will be given to the Ministry of Development, territorial equipment and public works, in its capacity as Delegated Contracting Authority for validation, before commencing the rehabilitation. 

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