District helps firm recover submerged machines

THE Usino-Bundi district administration has assisted the contractors building the Mea River bridge to recover their machineries that were submerged by water due to heavy rain on Wednesday.
District administrator Steven Biko told The National that the flood had disrupted the progress on the construction of the bridge.
He said an excavator and a tilted pile driver were submerged by the water due to heavy rain.
Biko said Covec Engineering contractors were engaged by the district development authority to assist in retrieving the machines.
He said the authority was obliged to help because the equipment was vital for construction of the bridge.
Biko said although it was the responsibility of the Government as it was a national highway, the district could not afford to have the bridge and related section of road left incomplete.
“I was at the scene and witnessed the contractors working on how they would remove the submerged machines,” he said.
“I was pleased that they managed to do it but the work was not complete so they will continue tomorrow (today).
“The only thing that will distrupt the work is rain.”
Biko said the Chinese contractors were not familiar with the weather patterns of the area and this saw their machinery caught in the flood.
He said the bridge, once completed, would allow the district access to the Lae-Madang Highway.