KÉNÉDOUGOU — A critical bridge in Badara village, located in the Kourinion commune of Kénédougou province, collapsed due to intense rainfall overnight from Sunday, July 28, to Monday, July 29, 2024. The destruction has disrupted road connectivity along the RN8 route, hindering the passage of vehicles and impacting local infrastructure significantly.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the President of the special delegation (PDS) of the commune of Kourinion, the intense rains not only demolished the Badara bridge but also inflicted substantial damage to other community facilities including the local health center, pharmaceutical depot, midwife’s residence, and maternity ward. He highlighted that the maternity ward was particularly hard-hit. The PDS also reported that several houses in the area collapsed due to the storm.

In response to the immediate housing crisis caused by the destruction, affected residents have been directed to seek shelter at the Idrissa Compaoré private school complex in Badara. Meanwhile, the provincial management responsible for Kénédougou’s infrastructure, with the assistance of EKS company, is taking preventive measures on the RN8 to ensure public safety and is planning the reconstruction of the bridge’s access embankment.

The high commissioner of Kénédougou province, Saïdou Sakira, has urged the public, especially those traveling on RN8, to exercise extreme caution and consider alternate routes through Toussiana or Bérégadougou to reach Bobo-Dioulasso or vice versa.