MANILA, Philippines — Two road sections in the Caraga Region have been closed due to damage caused by Tropical Storm Auring, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Monday.
A portion of the Surigao-Davao Coastal Road, specifically the K1362+689 Hubo Bridge in Tandag City in Surigao del Sur, was closed due to a scoured slope protection.
“The road will remain impassable until the water level in the area has subsided. In the meantime, the DPWH maintenance crew in the area have installed road safety devices to warn motorists/pedestrians,” DPWH said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.
The other damaged road is the K0014+600 section of Dinagat-Loreto Road, which was closed due to a road slip.
“DPWH has installed barricades and signages for the safety of the public and avoid further damage on the road,” the department added. “Meanwhile, Auring-affected road sections in Negros Occidental, Agusan del Norte along Agusan-Misamis road, and other sections of Surigao-Davao Coastal Road are now one-lane, if not two-lane passable.”
As of Monday, Auring had weakened into a low pressure area due to interaction with the northeast monsoon and mountainous terrains as it passed by Rapu-Rapu Islands in Albay at noon.
Before that, Auring, though hundreds of kilometers away from land, battered the Caraga Region with strong winds.
Caraga appeared to have sustained most of the damage, with several towns in Surigao del Sur flooded and without electricity for several hours.
Photos from the Public Information Agency in Surigao del Norte also showed various structures — including roads, bridges, and dikes — destroyed by Auring as it moved over Caraga’s waters.
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