Maputo — A truck, overloaded with timber, caused the collapse on Monday of a metallic bridge over the Muririmue river, between the districts of Mogovolas and Moma in the northern Mozambican province of Nampula.

According to a report in Wednesday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias', the driver's mate, whose name was not given, died when the truck crashed off the bridge.

The driver has been taken to the Mogovolas district police command, while legal procedures are under way to hold the owners of the cargo responsible for the accident. They will be charged with violating the rules for crossing bridges in the province.

Since there is currently no water in the river bed, people are able to walk under the bridge. Cars have been able to ford the river bed further downstream - but that will be impossible if it starts raining, which is quite likely, since this is the rainy season.