Landslide closes vital road

PALU, Central Sulawesi: A landslide has buried a crucial part of the Trans-Sulawesi Highway between Palu and Donggala in Central Sulawesi, disrupting transportation in that part of the island.

Antara reported that the landslide occurred in an area called Kebun Kopi, with about 50 meters of the highway covered by mud and earth.

Work was still underway to clear the road yesterday, Antara reported.

To overcome the problem, trucks and buses unload their cargo and passengers at Kebun Kopi and take on cargo and passengers from the other side of the obstacle.

Bambang Soenaryo, an official of the Central Sulawesi public works office said the area along the Trans-Sulawesi highway is prone to landslides, especially when it rains a lot.

The provincial government has proposed upgrading the road with Rp 9 billion in financing from the World Bank, Bambang said. (emb)