|
Monday, October 02, 2006
Geological study on Mountain Province roads sought
BAGUIO CITY -- Government engineers have asked the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to conduct geological assessments in various landslide-prone roads in the Mountain Province and recommend mitigating measures to protect lives and properties.
The Department of Public Works and Highways-Mountain Province Engineering District (DPWH-MPED) request was made after eight persons died and 13 others injured when an avalanche of mud from a mountain slope buried a passenger jeepney at Sitio Mixico, Tonglayan Natonin, particularly along Bontoc-Barlig Natonin Road, late last month.
Provincial District Engineer Leonardo Leyaley expressed alarm over a series of landslides along various national roads in the province over the past several weeks as a result of continuous rains.
He said the simultaneous landslides along national roads in the province are alarming, considering the fact that no earthmoving activities were done along the roads for the past several years.
Leyaley said almost 80 percent of the portions of all national roads in the province are considered as prone to landslides due to the mountainous terrain. He, however, asserted that proper mitigating measures must be done to prevent a worse case scenario in the future where more lives and properties might be lost due to landslides.
Only 20 percent of the road network in the province is considered as stable, 10 percent of which are rocky slopes while the other 10 percent are flat grounds.
The district engineer admitted that the DPWH does not have experts who will conduct the needed geological assessment study of the roads, thus the MGB must come to the rescue to prevent more damages to lives and properties as a result of landslides along roads.
Records showed that Mountain Province has a total of 290 kilometers of national roads that are being maintained by the DPWH.
On the proposed inclusion of mitigating measures to prevent landslides along Halsema Highway, particularly Mt. Data, Bauko to Bontoc section, Leyaley said the agency is considering the inclusion of state-of-the-art slope protection walls to prevent the mountain slopes from caving in and burying unsuspecting motorists, especially during the rainy season, so that travel along the 50.49-kilometer highway would be uninterrupted.
During the occurrence of landslides, motorists have to wait for several hours and even days, depending on the volume of mud and rocks from the mountain slopes that cover the roads, to give way to clearing operations to be undertaken before they could again use the roads. (Sun.Star Baguio)
(October 2, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Ayala faces council today on Carmen water