Landslides on Pagudpud highway hamper relief operations in typhoon-hit areas

Fresh landslides at a portion of Manila North Road in Pancian village in Pagudpud town, Ilocos Norte province blocked a large section of the road. (Photo courtesy of the Department of Public Works and Highways)

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte—The recurrence of major landslides at a national highway in Pagudpud town in this province has hampered relief operations and the restoration of power in areas devastated by Typhoon “Neneng” (international name Nesat), authorities said.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said in a statement on Friday (October 21) that the Manila North Road in Pancian village remained closed due to the landslides.”

“Moderate to heavy rain is being experienced in the area, hampering continuous clearing of slides [on the highway],” according to the regional DPWH.

The highway links Ilocos Norte with northern provinces in the Cagayan Valley region.

The exact section of highway was closed on September 10 due to layers of mud and rocks from the nearby mountain. As a result, for at least two weeks, people in Ilocos Norte and neighboring Cagayan villages had to hire fishing boats to get where they needed to go.

The Ilocos Norte electric cooperative (Inec) reported on Thursday that it could not access the highland town of Adams, one of the hardest impacted regions in the province during Neneng, to restore electricity there because of the return of the landslides.

Neneng caused a bridge in Adams to collapse, while a series of landslides blocked Pancian-Adams road, which left the town “isolated” from the rest of the province, according to Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc.

On Wednesday, the provincial government said that two helicopters of the Philippine Air Force delivered aid to typhoon-hit victims in the town.

After an inspection, Inec said the recent landslides covered a more significant portion of the highway.

Pancian village officials have also warned residents against putting themselves in danger by attempting to cross the national highway in areas where landslides have blocked the road.

“Please refrain from risking your life,” the village officials said as they shared a viral video of another landslide occurrence in the area earlier this week that struck suddenly and randomly.

Ilocos Norte, which is under a state of calamity due to the extent of damage and flooding caused by Neneng, is being threatened again by Tropical Depression “Obet.”

The provincial government asked residents and local government units to “take all necessary precautions to prevent potential loss of life and property.”

/abc