Sudden rise of river water level caused by heavy rains has affected several bridges mostly in Davao Oriental.
DPWH Region 11 Director Mariano L. Alquiza said that a total of nine (9) bridges were affected in Southern Mindanao (Davao Region) with six (6) of them not passable as strong current of floodwater damaged bridge structure.
Eight of the affected bridges are located in Davao Oriental, seven (7) of which are located at Surigao Sur-Davao Coastal Road and one (1) in Tibanban-Lavigan Road.
Among those bridges rendered not passable along Surigao Sur-Davao Coastal Road in Davao Oriental are: Quinonoan Bridge in the town of Tarragona due to damaged bridge approach; Caraga Bridge with damaged on Pier 13 and Governor Teodoro Palma Gil (Manurigao) Bridge with scoured bridge approach, both in the municipality of Caraga; totally washed-out Lumao Bridge in Cateel.
Three (3) other bridges were affected by the scouring of approach namely Ibobotoc and Dakung Banua Bridges in Boston, and Taytayan Bridge in Cateel but are passable to vehicular traffic with DPWH maintenance crew deployed for embankment works and appropriate warning signs installed to forewarn motorists.
The Magdug Bridge along Tibanban-Lavigan Road in the municipality of Gov. Generoso was declared not passable to all types of vehicle due to eroded bridge approach on abutment “B”. Also, Governor Miranda Bridge 1 in Tagum City, Davao del Norte was also closed to traffic with the bridge approach “A” under floodwater forcing the diversion of southbound vehicular traffic to Governor Miranda Bridge 2.
Alquiza said that removal of slides are on-going on four (4) landslide affected sections of Montevista-Mati Boundary Road in Araibo, Liboton, Compostela Valley and at cut Saddle Section to restore connectivity between Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental.
Earlier, removal of slides has been completed to open the following national highway to vehicular traffic: km 1454+650 to km 1454+850 of Montevista-Mati Boundary Road, Sabina Mines Section and Barangay Maganit Section of Manat-Maragusan Road.
Landslide has been also cleared at Daang Maharlika Road particularly at Km 1378+800 in Monkayo, and km 1444+000 and km 1443+600 in Mawab, both Compostela Valley Province.