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By William B. Depasupil
LEVELLED TO THE GROUND The 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Abra on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 leveled homes and buildings and rendered roads impassable in nearby Benguet as shown in these photos. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BENGUET REP. ERIC YAP
(UPDATE) LANDSLIDES caused by the powerful quake that hit many areas in Luzon rendered 14 national roads in the province of Abra and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) impassable, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.
A number of bridges connecting Abra to nearby provinces were also damaged.
"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," DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said.
Bonoan ordered DPWH regional and district engineering offices in Luzon to immediately inspect public infrastructure for any damage.
The DPWH has sent road maintenance crews and equipment for debris clearing operations to affected areas.
The DPWH said among those closed to vehicular traffic were Kalinga Road, Abra-Ilocos Norte Road, Calaba Bridge and Abra-Cervantes Road.
Other roads in CAR closed to traffic were Kennon Road; Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Road, Bobok Bisal, Bokod due to soil collapse, Poblacion, Bokod; Baguio-Itogon Road, Itogon Bridge; and Congressman Andres Acop Cosalan Road and Gov. Bado Dangwa National Road.
Also impassable were Kalinga-Abra Road in Ableg, Pail, Kalinga, and K0497+000 onward 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 Baguio-Bontoc Road, Mountain Province-Cagayan via Tabuk-Enrile Road, Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur Road via Kayan Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur Road via Tue, all in Mountain Province.
Seven road sections have limited access in CAR and Region 1 — Asin Road, K0305+820, Asin, Baguio City; Palispis Marcos Highway, K0273+780, Poblacion, Tuba, Benguet; Baguio-Bontoc Road, Balili Bridge, Benguet; Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya K0254+300, Sitio Lamut, Beckel, La Trinidad, Benguet; 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.
All DPWH offices in the CAR were on alert, monitoring roads, bridges and related infrastructure for damage as aftershocks threaten the region.
