Landslide paralyzes highway in CamSur town

LEGAZPI CITY—Some 100 vehicles were stranded after a landslide hit the Andaya Highway in Del Gallego town in Camarines Sur province on Wednesday morning, authorities said.

Senior Insp. Maria Luisa Calubaquib, Bicol police spokesperson, said huge volume of loosened soil and rocks cascaded down the Maharlika highway in Barangay (village) Comadaycaday at around 6 a.m., rendering it impassable to all types of vehicles bound for Manila and Bicol on both sides.

Lucena Bermeo, chief of Environment and Disaster Management Assistance Office under Camarines Sur provincial government, said the heavy rains that hit Camarines Sur Tuesday night has loosened the soil of a hill beside the road going to and coming from Metro Manila, stalling and diverting the traffic via Sta. Elena town in Camarines Norte.

Bermeo said a single-lane traffic had finally been cleared at around 9 a.m., allowing some motorists to pass through.

She said motorists were still directed to take the Sta. Elena road going to Daet town in Camarines Norte as a detour going south of Bicol.

She said they have adopted an alternating traffic of 10 vehicles passing through at one time.

However, Bermeo advised that it will be more convenient for motorists for the meantime to just detour to Sta. Elena road going to Daet town then to Camarines Sur. /jpv