Maputo — Re-opening the railway between the northern Mozambican port of Nacala and Malawi will take longer than expected, because the crane brought in from Malawi to move derailed locomotives and wagons has broken down, Radio Mozambique reported on Wednesday.

The derailment occurred on 5 January, at Mutivaze, some 30 kilometres west of Nampula city, and was caused by the torrential rains brought by tropical depression "Delfina". The Mozambican port and rail company, CFM, is now looking for an alternative to the Malawian crane, so that the line can be cleared. With every passing day, the losses to CFM increase - so far the closure of the line has cost CFM 4.5 million US dollars.

The line was to have been used to transport food aid provided by the UN World Food Programme to drought-stricken Malawi. But the derailment has forced the WFP to switch to the central Mozambican port of Beira, and to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

Meanwhile efforts continue to restore road transport in Nampula, Zambezia and Cabo Delgado provinces, severely disrupted by this month's storms. Emergency repairs to a bridge over the Meluli river in Nampula were concluded on Saturday, which should make it possible to re-open the road from Nametil to the fishing port of Moma.

In Zambezia a brigade is working to place a metallic bridge over the Zimoco river to re-establish contact between the town of Morrumbala, and the Chire administrative post.

In Cabo Delgado, a metallic bridge is to placed over the Mirohoto river, to restore road traffic between Macomia and Sunate. Repairs are also under way to the road between Metuge and Quissanga.

The disruption to Cabo Delgado roads has led to basic supplies running out in several districts. Thus in Mueda, in the north of the province, there is no fuel, and the shortages of other basic commodities has led to price rises.