Maharlika Highway in Quezon now clear, passable – DPWH

LUCENA CITY, Quezon—The stretch of Maharlika Highway along Quezon province going to Bicol has been cleared of typhoon debris and is now passable to all types of vehicles, the Department of Public Works and Highways said Wednesday.

“We immediately started the road clearing operation after the typhoon left Quezon. We finished the work late Tuesday,” Celestial Flancia, head of the DPWH-Quezon fourth engineering district, said in a phone interview.

Erstwhile Tropical Depression Maring (international name: Doksuri) made landfall over Quezon on Tuesday.

She said their maintenance crew, equipped with heavy equipment and assisted by police, Army and civilians, worked round the clock to clear the highway of fallen trees, landslides and flood water.

Flancia said the strong rains caused floods in some sections of the Maharlika Highway in Pagbilao, Atimonan, Gumaca and Lopez towns. The flood in some areas reached 1.5 meters.

“Most flooded areas along the Maharlika Highway were triggered by volume of rain water from the mountain and overflowed rivers caused by high tides in the Lamon bay,” Flancia said.

Strong rains also triggered landslides in some road sections in Calauag, Gumaca-Pitogo road and the town of Quezon in Alabat island.

DPWH is still conducting inspection of various infrastructure projects in different parts of the district.