An important bridge that links countries in eastern central Africa with the Kenyan port of Mombasa has been reopened after being severely damaged by flooding. The route is only passable with extreme care as half of the carriageway has been washed away. Some travellers were held up at the bridge by high floodwaters for more than 72 hours. The BBC's East Africa correspondent Martin Dawes has visited the scene:

Heavy lorries inch their way across the 30m bridge which for a time was covered by floodwaters. A large semi-circular roadway has been lost and workmen are rebuilding an embankment which was washed away.

Kenya's chief roads engineer was supervising the work. His presence demonstrates the importance of the road for Kenya and its land-locked neighbours such as Uganda and Rwanda.

The route from the port is essential for supplies and exports. The engineer, Samson Acoute, had been called to deal with the emergency from another district which was almost cut-off by landslips.

Kenya's roads, which have been badly neglected, have suffered severe and widespread damage in the heavy rains. Mr Acoute said they would now have to appeal for extra help from donor countries.

Bad weather, along with political uncertainty and violence over the past year have hit Kenya hard. Tourism, which is the country's biggest foreign currency earner, has lost out particularly badly.