Tens of tons of garbage damage bridge on Zapadna Morava River: Supporting pillar collapses

Photo: RINA

The bridge over the Zapadna (West) Morava on the local road Grdica-Oplanici near Kraljevo has, during the several decades of its use,  withstood several catastrophic floods and dozens of smaller torrential ones, and strong strikes of the Moravia waves. It survived until a few days ago, because the bridge did not withstand the last heavy rains.

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Several tens of tons of various waste and logs up to 70 centimeters in diameter have collapsed one of the supporting pillars, while another other concrete pillar suffered great damage.

"The water was up to three meters high, the waves were never stronger and the pillars did not withstand. Huge logs, branches and all kinds of waste, starting with construction material, various wooden and metal constructions and many other things, proved to be fatal for the supporting pillars. Garbage has been piling up for months, no one was removing it and this had to happen. Construction machines arrived too late to release the bridge from the huge load and pressure, and now there is no solution without a great deal of work and investment," say the locals of Grdice.

Traffic inspectors have prohibited the use of the bridge, but cars regularly cross from one side to the other, regardless of the ban. Only a few drivers use bypass roads, or those nearby via Popovici or Sirce.

(Telegraf.rs/RINA)