2 women killed in Kennon Road landslide

A section of Kennon Road in Benguet (Photo from the Cityofpines.com)

MANILA – A massive landslide on a section of Kennon Road in Benguet killed two women and injured four others who were aboard a private van and a passenger jeepney yesterday morning.

The fatalities were Teresita de Guzman, 61, and Marjorie Magsino, 33, while wounded were Phing de Guzman, Henry Eugenio, Ernesto Luis and Jun Eric Samuyo. All were brought to the Baguio General Hospital and Saint Louis University Hospital of the Sacred Heart.

De Guzman and Magsino, however, died undergoing treatment.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) immediately cleared the road of debris, temporarily closing Kennon Road which led to Baguio City.

“A crew from the DPWH and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will have to brave the weather and cut the remaining trees overnight, so we can reopen the road,” DPWH Cordillera director Edilberto Carabbacan said in a Philippine Daily Inquirer report.

The DPWH also claimed that the landslide was caused by heavy rains in the past week, softening the soil in the hillside. A fallen tree in the slope also dragged the soil further down.

Prior the accident, the 32-kilometer highway was also temporarily closed for two days last week as tropical storm “Egay” (Linfa) entered the Philippines.

According to a ‘flagman’ working on Kennon Road, a car also passed by the area when the landslide occurred.

Fortunately, the car was spared from the incident.

Meanwhile, another landslide occurred also in Benguet over the weekend. A local miner was killed and four others were injured.

The fatality was Joven Robiz Baw-anan, 30, while wounded were Manuel Balang Diano, Barton Baw-anan, Amos Robiz Baw-anan and Glenn Baw-anan Balao.

The landslide was also attributed to bad weather conditions in the past week. All men were at their boarding house when the soil atop it collapsed.

With typhoon “Nangka” having a high chance of entering the Philippines on Wednesday, authorities warned the people of rains in most parts of the country. They also cautioned the public of flash floods and landslides, especially in Ilocos region.