Road near dike in Porac, bridge in Floridablanca closed after quake

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 3 office has closed a portion of a road near the Megadike Access Road in Porac, Pampanga, and another bridge in Floridablanca  after cracks caused  by an earlier earthquake were discovered.

DPWH-Region 3 Director Dong Tolentino said on Monday evening that they would assess the road’s status Tuesday, but for the meantime, it would be impassable for vehicles.

“Yong bridge naman sa Floridablanca, naka-sara na muna, ‘yon kasi ‘yong na-damage. Yung sa megadike, medyo may mga crack na, hindi na muna natin pinadadaanan para ma-assess natin bukas ng umaga kapag maliwanag na siya,” Tolentino said in an interview with DZMM.

“‘Yong mismong kalsada lang no’ng dike, kasi from the dike, merong road dike eh. So ‘yon ‘yong nagkaroon ng parang mga crack siya, minomonitor na natin ‘yon,” he added.

Tolentino assured though that the DPWH regional office and its district offices were icommunicating with the provincial government regarding assistance it can provide to hard-hit areas.

“Patungkol naman sa coordination namin with provincial government, nag-usap kami ng personal assistant ni Governor (Lilia Pineda), and standby muna ‘yong equipment natin sa district offices […] malapit lang naman ‘yong district office ‘don sa area sa Porac,” Tolentino explained.

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck the town of Castillejos in Zambales, and was felt in several parts of Luzon including Metro Manila cities, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). Intensity V was declared in Magalang in Pampanga while Floridablanca was in Intensity IV.

READ:  Magnitude 6.1 earthquake shakes parts of Luzon