5 roads remain closed in CAR, Cagayan Valley due to typhoons

A total of five national roads in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Cagayan Valley remained impassable on Thursday, 14 November, due to the combined effects of Tropical Cyclones “Nika” and “Ofel.”

Based on the latest report from the DPWH-Bureau of Maintenance, the affected road sections include:

1. Banaue-Hungduan-Benguet Boundary Road in Tukucan, Tinoc, Ifugao, due to landslide.

2. Lubuagan–Batong-Buhay Road, Batong-Buhay, Balatoc, Pasil, Kalinga, due to debris flow.

3. Jct Talubin-Barlig-Natonin-Paracelis-Calaccad Road, Tonglayan section, Natonin, Mountain Province, due to soil collapse.

4. Sampaguita-Warat-Suerte-Catarauan-Afusing Road (Afusing-Tamban Section), Malalatan, Alcala, Cagayan, due to flooding.

5. Cagayan-Apayao Road, Itawes Overflow Bridge, Sta. Barbara, Piat, Cagayan, due to a scoured bridge approach.

Meanwhile, the DPWH has cleared and reopened a total of 18 typhoon-affected roads to the public.

The DPWH-CAR and Central Luzon estimate partial infrastructure damage from “Nika” and “Ofel” at P342.107 million. Of this amount, P121.45 million accounts for damage to roads in CAR, while P320.66 million is due to damage to flood control structures in Central Luzon. Reported infrastructure damage costs are still subject to field validation.

“Nika” exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday afternoon, 12 November, while “Ofel” made landfall Thursday afternoon in Baggao, Cagayan.

In its latest advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that “Man-Yi,” which will be named Pepito once inside PAR, has maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 105 kph. The storm was last located 1,375 kilometers east of Northeastern Mindanao, moving west-southwestward at 25 kph. PAGASA expects “Pepito” to enter PAR this evening.

The Philippines experiences around 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year.