Big trucks allowed to cross flooded highway in Quezon

LUCENA CITY –– Truckers have been allowed to resume their travel after getting stranded along the Maharlika Highway in Lopez, Quezon province since Wednesday morning after the flood started to subside on Thursday afternoon.

The municipal government of Lopez posted on its Facebook page at 4 p.m. the photos of trucks that have been allowed to traverse the almost one-kilometer flooded section of the highway in Barangays Canda Ilaya and Canda Ibaba.

The local government said they gave permission to truckers to cross the flood after they were assured that big vehicles could safely make it to the other end.

“Pansamantalang mga matataas at malalaking sasakyan lamang muna ang pwedeng tumawid at hindi pa rin pwede ang mga maliliit na sasakyan (Trucks are allowed to cross but small vehicles are still prohibited),” authorities said.

Lopez Mayor Rachel Ubana was shown in the photos personally bidding goodbye to truckers before they resumed their journey.

Earlier, Francisco Verba, head of the local disaster risk reduction management office, said that if the weather permits, the more than 1,400 vehicles that have been stranded in the town could resume their journey in the afternoon or early evening.

“The water is slowly receding and at least 20 big trucks were able to cross the flooded portion of the highway,” he said in a phone interview at noon on Thursday.

On Wednesday, about 4,500 motorists aboard 1,500 vehicles were stranded on the side of the highway after the road was flooded by heavy rains spawned by Tropical Depression “Pepito” compounded by seawater surge induced by high tide in Talolong river.

The local government of Lopez has declared a state of calamity to immediately address the needs of the victims in several barangays that were also flooded.

Governor Danilo Suarez also immediately dispatched provincial government workers led by his daughter, executive assistant Jenny Lopez, and brought relief packs and bottled water to flood victims.

The local government and generous residents also provided food packs and bottled water to the stranded motorists.

LZB