Luri road bridge, 10 km from Juba

At least four people have died and five others are reportedly missing after a passenger vehicle overturned on Luri Bridge, near Juba.

According to Luri County Commissioner, the vehicle carrying 21 people overturned last evening at around 8:30 PM while trying to cross the overflowing Luri River.

Commissioner Emmanuel Paul Fataki says 12 people have survived the accident, but five are missing.

The Toyota pickup was headed to Mundri from Juba.

He said the driver who left Juba around 2 PM was reportedly told at a checkpoint not to cross the bridge since it was overflowing with water.

After agreeing not to proceed with the journey, Fataki says the driver later changed his mind and drove through the heavy currents, only for the vehicle to overturn into the flooded Luri River.

“Four bodies were recovered, but five people are still missing, 12 passengers survived,” said Commissioner Fataki.

Among the dead, two are children and two adults.

Fataki stated that efforts are ongoing to recover the other missing passengers.

“At the moment, the vehicle is still floating in the river where we are waiting for a crane from Juba to pull it out,” he added.

Luri River has claimed several lives as people try to cross it.

Three months ago, two people died after they drowned in Luri River.

In 2017, at least six people drowned after a vehicle carrying mourners disappeared into the same Luri River.

The bridge collapsed in 2012 and ever since, it floods when there are heavy rains.

Two years ago, the governor of Jubek State said over 6 million South Sudanese Pounds had been allocated for the rehabilitation of the bridge.

But since then, work has not begun at the site, as the bridge continues to claim more lives.