Landslides, floods close some roads to motorists

PALO, LEYTE, Philippines  — Several roads in Leyte and Southern Leyte provinces were closed to traffic yesterday due to landslides brought about by the continuous rains, according to a report from the DPWH-Region 8.

DPWH-8 director Rolando Asis said that at 5:45 a.m. yesterday, continuous downpour eroded the soil of Daang Maharlika, specifically at Kilometer 1004 + 900, along Brgy. Kahupian of Sogod town in Southern Leyte and rendered it impassable to motorists.

A landslide also occurred that same morning, at Kilometer 1002 + 800 of Maharlika Highway along Brgy. Pinamonoan of Mahaplag town in Leyte, causing it also to be impassable to traffic.

The Tugas Bridge Detour at Brgy. Hilapitan of Baybay City in Leyte has overflowed and became impassable to light vehicles.

At Kilometer 0949-Kilometer 0956, along the Mayorga-MacArthur section of Daang Maharlika stretching from Brgys. Liberty and Sta. Cruz up to Barangay Union, had been rendered hardly passable to light vehicles due to floods, with some parts of this road with knee-deep waters.

By 12:00 noon yesterday, DPWH-8 informed that 80 percent of the debris in Sogod has been cleared and the road was already passable to traffic, although the removal of the remaining debris was still going on. The agency has also mobilized its maintenance crew to other affected sites.

The DPWH-Southern Leyte, for its part, reported that all roads within Southern Leyte were already passable and its personnel were still on alert for any eventuality.

Asis called on the commuters to bear the temporary inconvenience brought about by the rains and impassable roads, and he assured the public that DPWH-8 will fast track the clearing of any debris from the road. (FREEMAN)