Collapsed bridge holding up traffic and denying services

National, Normal

THE Oomsis River washed away the abutment of the bridge near PNG Forest nursery along the Bulolo highway, holding up traffic for more than 18 hours.
The  first vehicles moved over the makeshift abutment  of  planks  held  up by large rocks at about 3pm on Tuesday.
Commuters and major businesses in the Bulolo district could not enter or leave the district as they were stuck at the bridge in the Huon  Gulf district.
Contractors of the Morobe Mining JV (MMJV) at Hidden Valley and  Wafi  including various business houses from Bulolo and Menyamya districts as well as   food  and  fuel  retailers had to join hands to roll boulders and rocks and filled the gaps with pebbles  and  gravel  into  the gap.
Most PMV trucks with passengers, including the public servants travelling to Lae and Bulolo, were left stranded on each side.
Women bound for the Lae market with fresh produce, climbed  in and   out of the gap with their bilums.