Floodwaters surged across Angola’s Lobito corridor on Sunday, forcing a key railway to halt operations after rivers overflowed and submerged critical infrastructure.
Heavy rains battered the region, inundating bridges over the Halo River between Cubal and Caimbambo, and another crossing near Benguela over the Cavaco River.
The Lobito Atlantic Railway confirmed that rail traffic along the damaged sections has been suspended indefinitely, citing unsafe conditions caused by widespread flooding.
The disruption strikes at a strategic route linking mineral-rich regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola’s Atlantic coast export hub.
This railway, operated under a 30-year concession awarded in 2022, forms a vital artery for transporting copper and cobalt to global markets.
Trains along the corridor also carry sulphur inland to Congolese mines, while moving agricultural goods and industrial products from the port.
The sudden halt underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to intensifying weather extremes across southern Africa.
Scientists and policymakers warn that climate change is amplifying rainfall patterns, increasing the frequency and severity of floods across the region.
As waters continue to swell, uncertainty clouds the timeline for repairs, leaving exporters and supply chains bracing for prolonged disruption.