Kidapawan re-routes traffic after magnitude 6.5 quake

KIDAPAWAN CITY –– The Kidapawan City government has closed the highway to commuters going to Davao and Cotabato cities following today’s magnitude 6.5 quake.

Kidapawan Mayor Joseph Evangelista ordered the rerouting of vehicular traffic using the Davao-Cotabato highway, which cuts across the city’s main urban area, to ensure public safety.

“The Eva’s Hotel was heavily damaged by the quake and may give way any time,” Evangelista said in a statement.

He said re-routing was implemented because the six-story hotel is just beside the highway.

Motorists from Cotabato City were re-directed to Matalam town going to M’lang then to Makilala en route to Davao City.

Those coming from Davao City were advised to re-route from Makilala to M’lang then to Tulunan en route to Cotabato City.

The Department of Public Works and Highways in Cotabato province also barred heavy trucks from passing through the Bulatukan bridge in Barangay Bulatukan of Makilala following the quake.

In an advisory, the agency said only light vehicles were allowed to pass the bridge./lzb