Brazilian transport minister Alfredo Nascimento has promised a preliminary 40mn reais (US$17mn) for repairs on federal highways damaged by landslides due to heavy rains in the state of Santa Catarina, state news Agência Estado reported.
The most critical damage is to kilometer 235 of the BR-101 highway in Palhoca city, which connects state capital Florianópolis to the south of Brazil, the report said.
The highway is partially concessioned to OHL Brasil, the local branch of Spanish construction company and tollroad operator OHL. The concessioned stretch runs from Cutitiba, in Paraná state, to Palhoca.
"The damage at Palhoca is not part of our concession, so the federal government will undertake repairs," an OHL Brasil spokesperson told BNamericas.
"The damage most affecting our company is in the city of Garuva, near the border with Paraná. We have sent out approximately 150 people [to carry out repairs]," the spokesperson said.
"We have not been affected by a loss of tariffs as the toll booths have not yet been opened. A total of five booths will be periodically opened between December this year and the first part of 2009," the spokesperson added.
Four federal and nine state highways have been affected by the landslides, including BR-470 and BR-282 that lead to the coast. The federal government plans to reopen its section of BR-101 by November 30.
The spokesperson could not give a date for completion of the works on its stretch of the highway.
More than 100 people have been reported dead as a result of the heavy rains and around 54,000 have been evacuated from their homes.
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