DPWH: 14 nat’l roads closed due to landslides, damage after Abra quake

Photo from the DPWH

MANILA, Philippines — Fourteen national roads are currently impassable due to landslides and damage caused by the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that rocked Abra on Wednesday morning.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan said their quick response teams inspected national roads and bridges and other public infrastructure in areas affected by the strong tremor. The assessments led the DPWH to discover that vehicles may not be able to pass through 14 national roads due to rock fall and soil collapse, among others.

“Our teams of engineers are conducting assessments to evaluate the structural integrity and damage caused by the earthquake as we simultaneously clear debris along national roads and bridges,” Bonoan said in a statement.

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The DPWH also said that as of 1 p.m. on Wednesday, road closures were reported along Abra-Kalinga Road K0437+250-K0475+000, Intermittent Sections, Abra, and K0474+000 due to soil collapse; Abra-Ilocos Norte Road, K0430+000 section and Calaba Bridge due to settlement of approach; as well as Abra-Cervantes Road and Biweng Bridge due to damaged approach.

Other roads in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) that were also closed to traffic are: Kennon Road, Benguet; Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Road  K0303+100, Bobok Bisal, Bokod due to soil collapse and K0302+700, Poblacion, Bokod due to rock fall in Benguet; Baguio-Itogon Road, Itogon Bridge, K0267+519 due to safety reason; Congressman Andres Acop Cosalan Road, K0318+500, Sitio, Bugao, Brgy. Adaoay, Kabayan, Benguet due to soil collapse; and Gov. Bado Dangwa National Road K0297+200, K0297+800, K0298+400 sections in Beling-belis, Kapangan and K0313+150 section in Poblacion, Kibungan, Benguet due to slope collapse.

Further, Kalinga-Abra Road K0468+860 and K0467+400 in Ableg, Pail, Kalinga, and K0497+000 onwards Abra, Pantikian to Balblasang, Balbalan and Lubuagan-Batong Buhay Road in Upper Kalinga; Banaue-Hungduan-Benguet Boundary Road, K0389+700, Wangwang, Tinoc in Ifugao; and various sections of Baguio – Bontoc Road, Mt. Province-Cagayan via Tabuk – Enrile Road, Mt. Province-Ilocos Sur Road via Kayan Mt. Province-Ilocos Sur Road via Tue all in Mountain Province are also not passable.

The DPWH likewise said seven road sections have limited access in CAR and Region 1 or Ilocos Region, namely: Asin Road, K0305+820, Asin, Baguio City; Palispis Marcos Highway, K0273+780, Poblacion, Tuba, Benguet; Baguio-Bontoc Road, Balili Bridge, Benguet; Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya K0254+300, Sitio Lamut, Beckel, La Trinidad, Benguet; Congressman Andres Acop Cosalan Road K0318+800, Sitio, Bugao, Brgy. Adaoay, Kabayan, Benguet; Baguio – Bauang Road, K0296+600 LS, Tadiangan, Tuba, Benguet; and Calungbuyan Bridge, Rancho, Santa, Ilocos Sur.

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