Crossing on BR-319 is blocked at another stretch after ferry cable snaps

By Ana Pastana – From Cenarium

MANAUS (AM) – The traffic of small and medium-sized vehicles, which had been allowed since the night of Monday, the 2nd, at the Curuçá River crossing, at kilometer 23 of BR-319, which connects Manaus (AM) to the municipality of Careiro (88 kilometers from the capital of Amazonas), had to be interrupted this time at the Autaz Mirim River stretch, after a ferry cable snapped on the morning of this Tuesday, the 3rd. The information is from the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (Dnit) and the Federal Highway Police (PRF).

According to a press release, there is no forecast for normalization. “The most up-to-date information is that a cable snapped on the second ferry and it is unable to make the crossing because of that. Teams are on site managing traffic and policing. There is no protest; the BR is completely blocked again,” says the statement.

The stretch of the highway had to be closed for the first time in the early hours of last Sunday, the 1st, after the provisional embankment giving access to the ferry that crosses the Curuçá River was damaged. According to Dnit, the river’s current, which rose due to the flooding affecting Amazonas, caused the issue.

Closure at Curuçá

Initially, still on Sunday, Dnit informed through a note that the rupture directly affected heavy vehicles and that the passage of small vehicles was allowed. “The interruption mainly affects heavy vehicles, such as trailers and trucks, with passage allowed only for small vehicles,” read a part of the first note published by Dnit on Sunday.

Later, the agency confirmed the information and stated that no vehicles were authorized to pass, totally closing the highway. “According to updated information from our teams, no vehicles are passing. The road remains completely closed,” it reinforced.

Despite the road being opened for small vehicles, the traffic of trucks and trailers, considered heavy vehicles, remains blocked. For vehicles transporting cargo to the municipality of Autazes and other regions, Dnit recommends using ferries that normally cross to the Port of Gutierrez, in the municipality of Careiro da Várzea, as an alternative route.

“DNIT teams are mobilized and working on-site with the goal of restoring traffic. Truck and trailer drivers are advised to avoid the region until traffic is fully normalized,” the agency said in a statement.

Small vehicles

In videos shared on social media by people who were on BR-319 waiting for the stretch to reopen, and by agents assisting with the crossing, on Monday night, it is possible to see vehicles such as pickup trucks, motorcycles, passenger cars, and others making the crossing using an improvised access bridge. “Look at that, the first cars are crossing now, just cleared,” says an unidentified person who recorded the scene.

The crossing was made possible after Dnit created a new embankment, using rocks at the site, damaged by the river current.

In another video, another unidentified person shows how the improvised passage created by Dnit turned out. “Look, I’m crossing right now. Dnit already did the first inspection to allow passage here, they’re about to open for small cars. This was the missing part,” said the man while crossing the blocked section on foot.

Flood in Amazonas

Currently, the flood in Amazonas directly affects 343,700 people. In total, 85,940 families have been affected across 29 interior municipalities that are in a state of emergency. Another 28 are on alert, three under watch, and two remain normal. The information comes from the latest 2025 Flood Operation bulletin released by the Government of Amazonas on Saturday, the 31st.

Of the 62 municipalities in Amazonas, 57 have declared a state of emergency or alert, including: Amaturá, Anamã, Apuí, Atalaia do Norte, Benjamin Constant, Boca do Acre, Borba, Carauari, Careiro Castanho, Careiro da Várzea, Eirunepé, Fonte Boa, Guajará, Humaitá, Ipixuna, Itamarati, Itapiranga, Japurá, Jutaí, Juruá, Manicoré, Maraã, Nova Olinda do Norte, Novo Aripuanã, Santo Antônio do Içá, São Paulo de Olivença, Tonantins, and Urucurituba.

Meanwhile, the municipalities of Alvarães, Anori, Autazes, Barreirinha, Beruri, Boa Vista do Ramos, Caapiranga, Canutama, Coari, Codajás, Iranduba, Itacoatiara, Lábrea, Manacapuru, Manaquiri, Manaus, Maués, Nhamundá, Novo Airão, Parintins, Pauini, Rio Preto da Eva, São Sebastião do Uatumã, Silves, Tabatinga, Tapauá, Tefé, Uarini, and Urucará are on alert.

Edited by Adrisa De Góes
Translated from Portuguese by Gustô Alves