By Sarwell Meniano
TACLOBAN CITY – Flooding and landslide led to the closure on Thursday of some road sections in parts of Samar and Leyte provinces, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported.
Not passable to all types of vehicles are road sections of Taft, Eastern Samar specifically in the villages of Malinao, San Pablo, and Mabuhay.
The DPWH estimated floods to be around 100 centimeters deep as of Thursday noon.
It also reported a landslide along the same road in Binaloan village in Taft town, prompting the closure of half of the road.
The road segments form part of the Wright-Taft-Borongan Road, which connects the provinces of Samar and Eastern Samar.
“Our field personnel are actively monitoring road conditions. We advise the traveling public to exercise caution, especially with the current weather conditions. Further updates will be provided once the road status improves,” the DPWH Eastern Samar district engineering office said.
Motorists are encouraged to take Junction Buenavista-Lawaan-Marabut Road as an alternate route.
In Mayorga, Leyte, a road section has been closed in Liberty village due to flooding with estimated depth of 0.40 meters. The road is within the highway that links Luzon to Mindanao. Designated as alternate route is the Mayorga-Lapaz-Javier-Bito-Abuyog Road.
A one-meter flood also closed the road in Payao village in Villaba, Leyte along Calubian-San Isidro-Tabango-Villaba-Palompon Road.
In San Miguel, Leyte, the DPWH managed to clear the 150-cubic-meter landslide debris after three hours in Pinarigusan village. The road is an alternate route from this city to Carigara town and Ormoc City. (with reports from Jamiah Anne E. Mencias, OJT/PNA)
