Businessmen and transporters have expressed their discontent towards Capufe (Caminos y Puentes Federales) following a landslide on the Veracruz-Puebla highway, which has been closed for almost six days. The incident occurred at the Cumbres de Maltrata, near kilometer 231 in the direction of Puebla.
The businessmen and transporters claim that despite the efforts to remove debris from the road, only a small portion (20 cubic meters) of the material covering over 150 meters of the highway has been cleared. They also argue that Capufe has not provided any information on whether there are vehicles trapped under the rubble, apart from the double-trailer truck, and that no counterflow lane has been enabled in the direction of Veracruz.
The closure of Highway 150-D has caused significant traffic congestion on the federal highway in the Acultzingo area and has led to a buildup of traffic on the Xalapa-Mexico highway, resulting in multiple accidents. Industrialists and transporters are reporting economic losses due to delays in delivering supplies and products to their clients.
As of Thursday, Capufe had still not enabled the counterflow lane, and there had been no progress in removing the material, which reaches a height of 12 meters and is 40 meters wide. The situation has been further complicated by the fact that as more debris is removed from the mud and stones, more material is becoming dislodged from the hill.
The lack of foresight and slow response of authorities have been widely criticized. Coparmex (the employers’ union in Orizaba) expressed its deep concern and criticized the authorities for not having a robust plan to respond to emergencies like this. They argued that describing the landslide as a “complex” situation does not justify the delay in response or the lack of adequate infrastructure.
The incident has highlighted underlying problems related to deforestation and forest fires in the area, which increase the risk of future landslides. Ricardo Rodríguez Deméneghi, coordinator of the Save Pico de Orizaba project, warned that landslides like this one will continue to occur due to the loss of forests and the resulting effects on the environment.
In addition, a water pipe was broken during maneuvers to enable a counterflow lane on Highway 150-D, which has caused inconvenience for families in the community of La Estancia. The incident has further complicated efforts to clear the highway and restore traffic flow.
Overall, the situation highlights the need for a more proactive approach to infrastructure maintenance and emergency response, as well as a greater emphasis on preserving the environment and preventing future landslides.
Source: Milenio
