In a statement released on Tuesday, the company says after doing preliminary assessment on the damage, they have observed that the bridge has been heavily affected, which has resulted to the halting of the passenger train services between Limbe to Nkaya in Balaka and Nayuchi in Machinga.

Nacala Logistics Public Relations Officer, Wezi Grace Kalua has confirmed the development, saying they are yet to make estimates on how much will be used to rehabilitate the bridge.

"We are yet to do calculation of how much we are going to use in the rehabilitation process of that bridge. We expect not to do that soon but at the end of the exercise," Kalua said.

Meanwhile, an economic expert, Milward Tobias says government should find other means of transport to cater for people who depend on the train such as farmers.

"Six months is a lot of time, think about farmers in those areas. I expect government to provide a transport alternative for those people," said Tobias.

Rail transport is one of the cheapest mode of transportation in the country which serves in hard to reach areas of the country.