News

PRESS RELEASE

(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE)

CLOSURE OF NDOLA-SAKANIA RAILWAY LINE DUE TO SINKHOLE INCIDENT

KABWE, Zambia 13^th February ,2025 – Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) would like to inform its stakeholders and members of the general public that the Ndola – Sakania Railway line connecting Ndola to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) via Sakania has been closed due to a sinkhole incident that occurred on 11^th February,2025 .

The initial findings by the Engineering team have revealed that a sinkhole measuring approximately twenty (20) metres in diameter and fifteen (15) metres in depth developed six (6) metres away from the railway line. In addition, cracks were also observed 20 metres away from the sinkhole, with some cracks crossing the railway line. This raised concerns about the ground stability and infrastructure integrity leading to the closure of the railway line. The safety and well-being of all stakeholders using the railway line remain our top priority, hence taking the immediate safety measure of closing the railway line. It is suspected that the area sits on a limestone aquifer, which may contribute to the formation of sinkholes.

The sinkhole poses significant safety risks to train operations, and the surrounding community as further ground movement could lead to additional sinkhole formations. The closure of the railway line has also resulted in the disruption of business operations, affecting over- border rail transportation between Zambia and DRC.

In addition to our internal efforts, we are collaborating closely with relevant stakeholders, including the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) and the Ministry of Transport and Logistics to ensure a coordinated response to this unfortunate incident.

As part of our commitment to transparency, we will continue to provide regular updates on the progress in addressing the situation.

Issued by:

Sombe Longwani – Ng’onga

Manager Public Relations

Zambia Railways Limited

Email: sombe.longwani@zrl.com.zm