No ‘sinkhole’ on Leyte highway - DPWH

CARIGARA, Leyte, Jan. 14 (PNA) – The 2nd Leyte Engineering District of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-2nd LED) said that no ‘sinkhole’ exists along a collapsed section in Lemon village, Capoocan town, where a road slope protection project is now underway.

DPWH-2nd LED District Engineer Carlos Veloso said works on the slope protection had to start later than targeted as the DPWH had to verify fear that continuous soil erosion may be due to a sinkhole underneath the highway.

However, Veloso said the 2nd LED have sought the assistance of geologists from Manila who verified that no ‘sinkhole’ exists and that water flowing underneath the mountains and crossing the highways have soften the roads which causes constant erosion.

“That is now being rectified by constructing drainage to avoid further erosion,” Veloso said.

The said highway is also being reinforced with a slope protection as it sits beside a deep ravine which has been allocated a Php 9.7 million budget from the calamity fund as it was destroyed during the onslaught of Typhoon Ruby and Senyang in 2014.

On Jan. 10, 2015, a truck buckled on the site after continuous heavy rains that drenched the highways in mud and caused traffic congestion.

However, the 2nd LED immediately dispatched members of its district disaster and quick response team, who made the road passable again to all types of vehicles by noontime of the same day.

This road section in Lemon is part of the Palo-Carigara-Ormoc road, which is considered as the busiest road section in Eastern Visayas connecting the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc.

The drainage canal and slope protection project, particularly found in Lemon village in Capoocan town costs around Php19.7 million and is expected to be completed by December this year. (PNA)
FPV/SQM/AHLETTE C. REYES