14 Luzon roads impassable, assessment ongoing: DPWH

Gov Bado Dangwa National Road (Photo: Department of Public Works and Highways/Facebook)

MANILA – A total of 14 national roads, particularly in the Cordillera and Ilocos regions, are currently impassable in the aftermath of the magnitude 7 earthquake that jolted parts of Luzon on Wednesday morning.

In its latest situation report, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said it has deployed quick response teams to inspect the safety of national roads and bridges, as well as other public infrastructures.

Secretary Manuel Bonoan said he has instructed the DPWH Regional and District Engineering Offices in the area to immediately check public infrastructure for any damage brought about by the quake that could endanger motorists and the general public.

“Our teams of engineers are conducting an assessment to evaluate the structural integrity and damage caused by the earthquake as we simultaneously clear debris along national roads and bridges,” he said in a statement.

As of 1 p.m. Wednesday, the roads in Abra that are reported closed are the Abra-Kalinga Road K0437+250 to K0475+000, Intermittent Sections and at K0474+000 due to soil collapse; Abra-Ilocos Norte Road, K0430+000 section and Calaba Bridge due to settlement of approach; and Abra-Cervantes Road, at Biweng Bridge due to damaged approach.

Also closed to traffic are Kennon Road, Benguet; Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Road K0303+100, Bobok Bisal, Bokod due to soil collapse and K0302+700, Poblacion, Bokod due to rock fall in Benguet; and the Baguio-Itogon Road, Itogon Bridge, K0267+519.

Likewise closed are the Congressman Andres Acop Cosalan Road, K0318+500, Sitio, Bugao, Barangay Adaoay, Kabayan, Benguet due to soil collapse; the Gov. Bado Dangwa National Road K0297+200, K0297+800, K0298+400 sections in Beling-belis, Kapangan and K0313+150 section in Poblacion, Kibungan, Benguet due to slope collapse; Kalinga-Abra Road K0468+860 and K0467+400 in Ableg, Pail, Kalinga, and K0497+000 onwards Abra, Pantikian to Balblasang, Balbalan and Lubuagan-Batong Buhay Road in Upper Kalinga; Banaue-Hungduan-Benguet Boundary Road, K0389+700, Wangwang, Tinoc in Ifugao; and various sections of the Baguio-Bontoc Road, Mt. Province-Cagayan via Tabuk-Enrile Road, Mt. Province-Ilocos Sur Road via Kayan Mt. Province-Ilocos Sur Road via Tue, all in Mountain Province.

On the other hand, seven road sections in the two regions have limited access – Asin Road, K0305+820, Asin, Baguio City; Palispis Marcos Highway, K0273+780, Poblacion, Tuba, Benguet; Baguio-Bontoc Road, Balili Bridge, Benguet; and Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya K0254+300, Sitio Lamut, Beckel, La Trinidad, Benguet.

Other roads that have limited access due to the earthquake are the Congressman Andres Acop Cosalan Road K0318+800, Sitio, Bugao, Barangay Adaoay, Kabayan, Benguet; Baguio-Bauang Road, K0296+600 LS, Tadiangan, Tuba, Benguet; and Calungbuyan Bridge, Santa Rancho, Santa, Ilocos Sur.

Aside from these roads, houses, old buildings, and churches in Ilocos were also damaged by the tremor.

173 buildings damaged

In a Palace briefing, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said 173 private and government buildings in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) were damaged by the earthquake.

“Sa (damaged) buildings, sa Baguio 33 were affected tapos 59 dito sa Abra. Sa Apayao, dalawa, tapos sa Benguet, 62 pagkatapos sa Kalinga, seven and then sa Mountain Province, 10 (For the damaged buildings, 33 were in Baguio, 59 were in Abra, two were in Apayao, 62 were in Benguet, seven were in Kalinga and 10 were in the Mountain Province.) That’s a total of 173. And of course ang pinakaraming landslides reported ay dito sa Abra with 31 (Abra has the most number of recorded landslide with 31),’’ Abalos told told President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Abalos said the earthquake shook 15 provinces, 15 cities, 280 municipalities and 6,756 barangays in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and CAR.

4 dead, 60 injured

He also reported that four fatalities were recorded and 60 others were injured.

“Of these four, two are in Benguet, one each in Abra and Mountain Province,” he added.

Abalos noted that the police and members of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) were deployed to conduct relief operations in the areas severely affected by the earthquake.

However, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said it is still verifying reports of casualties.

“No official report yet. However, we received initial information on two reported dead from CAR and 16 injured from CAR and Region 1. Subject for verification and validation,” it said in an advisory.

Meanwhile, Department of National Defense officer-in-charge, Undersecretary Jose Faustino reconvened the NDRRMC for another emergency meeting on the updates and actions in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Work in some courts halted

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court (SC) announced the suspension of work in some courts following the earthquake.

In a statement, the high court said work in the branches and offices of the regional trial court (RTC) of Malabon City was suspended starting 12 noon.

Likewise suspended due to the earthquake was work in the RTC and Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) of Lingayen, Pangasinan effective 2 p.m., the MTCC Branch 1 and 2 in San Fernando, La Union as of 10:30 a.m., and the entire Hall of Justice of Urdaneta City, Pangasinan effective 1 p.m. (with Priam Nepomuceno and Benjamin Pulta/PNA)