On the evening of October 12, a truck carrying goods overturned at Vatolatsaka, 96 km from Toliara, on the RN10 road connecting Toliara to Ambovombe Androy. The vehicle was also carrying passengers, two of whom were killed instantly: an 18-year-old teenager and an 11-year-old child. Being on the wrong side of the vehicle, they were crushed by the weight of the cargo. Other passengers jumped as they saw the truck tipping over, and most struggled to breathe while buried under the goods. A total of eighteen people were injured, including the driver, who lost his hand.
Two ambulances from the rural communes of Bezaha and Betioky were dispatched to the scene to transport the seriously injured, who required surgery, to Bezaha, located about twenty kilometers from the accident site. According to witnesses, the truck, coming from Ilakaka and heading to Fotadrevo in Ampanihy, had already finished the descent of Vatolatsaka, but at the last turn, it appeared to have lost its brakes or steering, hitting a wall before overturning.
“The Department of Public Health is taking care of the initial treatment for these victims,” emphasized Raphaël Hotahiane, Regional Director of Health, who arrived at the scene of the tragedy. The Regional Director of Population and Solidarity also stated that necessary arrangements were being made for the two deceased passengers.
The Vatolatsaka descent is notoriously dangerous due to its steep, S-shaped slope and a 30-40 meter cliff on one side. Many accidents occur on this stretch, which is in poor condition. Rehabilitation work for the Andranovory-Ambatry section is highly anticipated by the local population.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-14 05:38:43 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/toliara-deux-morts-sur-la-rn10.html