Hippo dead following four-car crash in Mpumalanga

A male hippopotamus was killed in a four-car crash between Mbombela and Malalane around 6am on Friday.

According to the N4 TRAC communications manager Solange Soares, the crash occurred between the Valencia Link and Crocodile Valley directional interchange.

Two light motor vehicles were involved in the crash and a stop-and-go put in place to regulate the early morning traffic as officials worked to clear the scene.

Soares said that the hippopotamus was crossing the eastbound towards westbound and is believed to have come out of the river.

“Four cars were involved in the crash, a truck, bakkie and two sedans. The drivers sustained slight injuries and the hippo died on the scene,” she said.

The last two vehicles involved were a secondary accident.

Soares added that this was the second time this year that a hippopotamus had been struck by a vehicle on the same stretch of road.

“The first one happened on February 8, about a kilometre from today’s incident,” she concluded.

This article first appeared on Lowvelder and was republished with permission.

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