PHOTOS: Danger on San Sauveur Bridge

The hole after the rains
The hole after the rains

Motorists and pedestrians using the San Sauver Bridge are being asked to exercise extreme caution as the structure has been severely damaged by the recent heavy rains.

During the rains a huge hole developed in the middle of the road at the end of the bridge leading to Good Hope. This was caused by the river which undermined the integrity of the road.

It was later discovered that the hole was about 15 feet deep and 10 feet wide.

One resident told DNO that the bottom of the hole has been concreted and it is presently being filled with tarish.

However the area is not completely safe and those who approach it should be on the look out.

san sauver2

Curious onlookers examine the huge hole in the road
Curious onlookers examine the huge hole in the road
Heavy equipment at work on the site
Heavy equipment at work on the site

 

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50 Comments

  1. Eleanor Edwards
    April 27, 2013

    long time haven been to da but the places is niceman woooo coming soon da here i am

    • sebo
      May 1, 2013

      please proud Dominicans, if u have to open your mouth and be thought of as a fool its better, to keep it closed until u get your facts straight. i’ve seen it all, San Sauveur is my neighboring village and my entire constituency needs an overwhelming amount of work to;(1)facilitate residents working in town (2)students going to school (3) persons who do farming and fishing and needs to sell.It’s time we residents say it as is. for too long it’s just patches and more patches. Do we need to loose our loved ones to see a better community, or we can come together as one and stand.NO MORE PARTY POLITICS PLZ.

  2. sphinx
    April 27, 2013

    we have some bridges from DOS d’ANE to PORTSMOUTH which need some serious attention!!

  3. V.I Resident
    April 26, 2013

    @ face up are you stupid or what? Disasters are all all over this world not only in Dominica.

  4. Land of my birth
    April 26, 2013

    I love this land and its people if you r a child of GOD a turly born again join me in for our nation Ernest prayer gets GODs attention nation need money someone said well the earth is the Lord and everything in it .All the gold and silver is his let us pray ask n for his help and mercy let us start to seek GOD in repentance ask n forgiveness so we can have his mercy and lod in the name of JESUS

  5. O.o
    April 26, 2013

    Face Up, You sound like someone who leaves aboard.Are you leaving in Jupita.Why? because it seems you don’t know the result of heavy rain and under minding or in smaller words soil erosion. Well the PM will have to put a stop to the work OT THE ALL MIGHT FATHER of the opposition. Come on Matt Heat Him had on that.

  6. Huh!!
    April 26, 2013

    I thought we had $27 million to play with to upkeep the infrastructure of the country, but I guess a palace is more important than people’s lives.

    Let the hating begin!!

    • Ideall
      April 27, 2013

      but you are so right, big house, no bridges or roads, wonder how we will get to the big mansion

  7. Not a herd follower
    April 26, 2013

    A major lesson from the recent disasters is that we need to look at the quality of the infrastyructure we build on this island and the quality of the engineering. We need to have engineers trained in environmental and disaster management, hydrology, coastal engineering etc.

  8. see the sea
    April 26, 2013

    Well mother nature have your way. Can`t blame any one ho.

  9. Observer
    April 26, 2013

    I have been inspecting bridges for over 12 yrs in the US and I am confused of your description of a 10ft x 15ft deep hole in a bridge. Was the bridge height of the bridge + water already over 15ft? Is it the bridge or the approach to the bridge? What kind of bridge is it? That bridge looks no more than 12ft wide, and the visible hole in the middle of the photo is a little less than 1/3 of the width of the structure. A 10ft wide hole in a 12ft wide bridge is an unpassable bridge. This type of defect is very unlikely to be caused overnight by heavy rain, based on the location and shape of the hole. This appears to be a weakness in the deck/slab due to severe corrosion which spalled off the bottom section that eventually leading to a punching shear failure, or just a bad concrete mix, or something is deteriorating the concrete. In Dominica, the bridges are not inspected (at least not that I know of); they are left to fall apart, then replaced. But remember a stitch in time, saves 9. Bridges on the main highway in the US are inspected every year, and lower level roads, every two years. Those that shows significant deterioration are sometimes placed on shorter inspection cycle – learn from that Dominica.

    • Too Hard Too Long
      April 26, 2013

      The hole is not in the bridge, it is in the road.

    • San Sauveur Homeboy
      April 26, 2013

      Observer, you sound like one of our very many Americanized-Dominican experts who has forgotten where he came from. Simply put, the river overflowed its banks because of obstructions caused by heavy debris carried down in the floodwaters. The water got onto the road and eroded a recently back-filled section which had been covered with a concrete slab. Hence the concrete slab concealed part of the eroded section of road. I know that, because I live here. Come on … we have engineers here too, who have chosen to remain here and keep this island alive while you experts toe the line of the almighty US. This was yet another grisly act of nature, like so many others that we have to battle with, and absolutely not unlike any other anywhere else in the world, including the mighty US. Sometimes even our own people annoy me with their baffling, ridiculous chatter!

      • wells
        April 27, 2013

        So true some ppl are quick to criticise and always blaming somebody their is a life span in every thing .even we human beings have a life span mother nasture is just doin her works.some of u dominican who live in the us foir quite an amount of years always want to cry down this country.dominica has been goos to me.dominican I’ll remain there is none like it and will never be.so get out of the usa and come and contribute to the building of ur nation stop criticizing.hope u are not one of those who sleep on the streets or gets a food stamp.so please come back home lots of food here

      • sebo
        May 1, 2013

        the bridge when ever altered to be better it should be stronger, the road when resurfaced it should be done properly using the best materials knowing that the bridge is usually overflowed. come on, DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.

    • Observer
      April 26, 2013

      Well, with a few more photos, this all make sense now. It was a sinkhole in the approach to the bridge. Now is a whole new failure mode.

      The backhoe is too small for the job, and the operator is working dangerously close to the edge. It is very possible for that slope to cave in under his outriggers. The slope is being cut way too steep.

      • wells
        April 27, 2013

        Are u an engineer.what backhoe to small.if it was the other way Around men using shovels and pick you woulda still complain.that’s what we have and that’s what we will work with.

      • sebo
        May 1, 2013

        OBSERVER. am glad u only emphasise on the dangers of the operator doing his job. there are many Dominicans who cant see the important things that matter. not even the right equipment to do the job, but its ok cause the whole is being replaced with material,The bridge and the where the road meets, is it being fixed to avoid more holes and last longer or “just to pass for the time”. as always.

    • Anonymous
      April 27, 2013

      I would like someone to explain to me why all those so called idiots who lives in America always feel it necessary to compare Dominica with America whenever something happens in DA. People stop this nonsense. Dominica will never be on the same level with America. You all like to give the impression that things are so much better in America, than in Dominica. When you go to the ER in the USA you stay 3-4 hours waiting on a Doctor plus you get a bill for each person who touches you. If things were so much better in the USA why is the president having so much problem trying to get people from the Senate and the House of Representative to approve his proposal to fix the many bridges and roads around the US which would also help stimulate the US economy? People think of ways we can help our country rather than putting it down and always comparing it with the United State.

    • yessa ppl sott
      April 27, 2013

      ask a question, the hole is not in the bridge

    • sebo
      May 1, 2013

      Thank you Observer, too many times the media cannot give accurate info, the government keep giving their friends the jobs to do, which at most times do not qualify for the position.There for using the material they want and pocketing the monies, maintenance is very crucial.

  10. Castle Bruce
    April 26, 2013

    The thing which we pride our contry on and boast about is what has become a danger to us. Dominica,The land of many rivers.

  11. as for my house
    April 26, 2013

    beside the hole thats our concern..the man with the greenish pants caught my attention . :lol:

    • Alas
      April 26, 2013

      I am almost sure is the person back hat there. Aye Bon dieu

      • as for my house
        April 27, 2013

        i know but who ever it is ,must have shop where mr brown (on meet the brown)gets his deals

    • Ideall
      April 27, 2013

      but how do you know its a man? cant see a face or the rest of the body

  12. Rastafari
    April 26, 2013

    Welcome to the NWO, DOminica! Good luck everyone!

  13. Distured
    April 26, 2013

    It’s man made… of course it will be washed away. duhhh. =_=)”

    If it disrupts the natural flow of things, it shall be swept away, eradicated and/or assimilated. That is the way of nature. Don’t be surprised every time it happens.

  14. dhestini
    April 26, 2013

    papamet. i dont know what is going on but i think one good thing has come fr all that rain, it has highlighted the flaws in our infrastructure. so right now the relevant authorities can take it fr there n conduct a thorough inspections over the island. in everything else thats going on, tragedies like the one that claimed the lives of kirt n norran (RIP) is one we do not want to go thru again. may God help those who deal with these kind of construction. cuz they got alot of wrk ahead of them

    • wells
      April 27, 2013

      So true we will continue to pray for the safety of our engineersand all those involve may god continue to guide and protect us as a nation god bless everyone

  15. Too Hard Too Long
    April 26, 2013

    This is becoming scary. Dominica is land of many waters and water is life but is also very destructive. Walk safely, drive safely, my people.

  16. WALLS OF JERICHO
    April 26, 2013

    DNO are we now reaping the curse imposed upon us after the infamous “walk around the Ministry and Financial Center a few years ago ? ”

    Am not a Religious person but it seems a lot of negative strange happenings are common place in Dominica.

    Something is not right. Its like our sweet country is under some Evil Spell.

    I pray for us to come together and Pray for Dominica and our people and families and loved ones and community and each other, if not Evil will take over us.

    Those of us who are into Voodoo, necromancy ,Black magic, the underworld, obeah and other forms of evil and spiritism for whatever purpose please stop this now.

    SOLDIERS OF JESUS CHRIST LET US PRAY TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY. Evil doers the curse will fall back on yourselves and families. STOP THIS !!!!!

    • Rastafari
      April 26, 2013

      We don’t need to pray for these types of problems. We need financial assistance that is sufficient enough to sustain our infrastructure long term. Praying is totally useless and does nothing to fix this. Action is what is needed. You can’t pray a bridge into existence. The evil that you refer to is Nature?

      • Anonymous
        April 26, 2013

        Ernest prayer from ernest people who belive in the Almighty GOD can bring change God says in his word “all the gold is mine all the silver is mine ” Psalm 24 says the earth is the Lords and everything in it so if we seek GOD first in repentance turning from our wicked ways GOD will hear and salvation will come to this our Land!!!!!!! I say pray people of Dominica im praying with u. Land of my birth.

      • Anonymous
        April 27, 2013

        I agree with you. Prayer is used as a cop out from facing reality. Remember prayer is important though.

    • Dubique767
      April 26, 2013

      Rubbish. Here you bible thumpers go again. You thumpers are always waiting around the bend in anticipation of the demise of this planet. Natural disasters are a part of life. They have been happening for millions of years. Nature has a way of letting us know that it is still in command – that’s all. This is a tropical island. Natural disasters come with the beauty that it presents – like everything else in the world. We learn to appreciate the beauty, because we understand the danger that it also presents…nothing more…nothing less…

      • wells
        April 27, 2013

        Couldn’t have said it better

    • chen ling don
      April 27, 2013

      Why don’t you say that since the renaming of the mountains that’s when all the nonsense started to accelerate. Stop picking and choosing.

      People like you are too superstitious, your simplistic stance on things gives a rather primitive image of Dominica.

      Don’t forget that the same bible states that “many are called, but few will be chosen”, and “not all who cry Lord, Lord will be saved. Go figure.

    • Nature Spice
      April 27, 2013

      I agree with you but the sad thing is it starts from the top. When you have people in public office that embrace these beliefs, what do you expect from the country they lead.

      WE HAVE TO PAY BACK FOR THE FAVOURS AND SACRIFICES THAT WE INVOKE.

  17. faceup
    April 26, 2013

    Omg, is this the state of my country Dominica? Why does who ever let this kind of damage to reach at this level? dont anyone do any inspections on roads, bridges etc?.Thats scary to come down to that espeacialy when there is a shortage of anesthesia at the P.M.H. Be safe peeps..

    • faceup
      April 26, 2013

      It seems that all the dislikes are labourites, trying to hide the truth from Syber Space, give me a break save your country. Plizzzzzzz!!

    • Jimi Hendrix
      April 26, 2013

      Don’t get carried away. When you are dealing with mother nature these things tend to happen. It happens in the State on a regular basis.

      • San Sauveur Homeboy
        April 26, 2013

        Don’t you watch the international news? Natural disasters are wreaking havoc around the world, killing hundreds of thousands. Do you question their “inspections” too? We also myopically forget that we live in the most rugged, most difficult island in the Caribbean, with a measly 70,000 people, only ten percent of whom pay any significant taxes to talk about. When will we be realistic and focus on realistically dealing with our problems rather than beating up ourselves like that?

    • wells
      April 27, 2013

      Here goes another idiot

    • love DA
      April 27, 2013

      U don’t never hv to come down stay he hell out of DA as many of u’ll does when u’ll visited someones elses island then want to compare it with Dominica “shit man”.

  18. Cor
    April 26, 2013

    These rains have really cause a lot of damage. I wish that all would remain safe

  19. toma
    April 26, 2013

    And what did they use to build this bridge? Did the engineers even consider that little stream could become a river due to flooding?

    • Too Hard Too Long
      April 26, 2013

      Notice it is not the bridge itself that is damaged. it is the road next to the bridge

  20. toma
    April 26, 2013

    Why do they have to resort to tarish? Tarish has never and will never be or form a good base the our roads. You would think that after all the problems that we have experienced over all these years using tarish, that the government would by now return to using stones.

  21. ok
    April 26, 2013

    think water playing?!

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