Ilocos roads impassable due to earthquake slides

By Liezle Basa Inigo

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union -- The Dept. of Public Works and Highways Region 1 reported some areas in Ilocos Sur were either one lane passable or impassable because of big boulders that cascaded following the devastating earthquake that struck northern Luzon Wednesday, July 27.
    Based on the latest situational report, the Ilocos Sur 2nd District Engineering Office said Calungbuyan Bridge, Santa Rancho Road, were both one-lane passable.
    The Tagudin-Cervantes Road (K0337+800 and K0327+500) are one lane passable due to debris. Clearing operations were still on-going.
    The Tagudin-Cervantes Road K0341+600 is not passable due to major land/rock slides while the Manila North Road, K0392+700, Brgy. Rizal, Santa, Ilocos Sur is passable.
    Some roads still need to be cleared of earth and rock and will resume on Thursday morning.
    DPWH said the road in Brgy. Tiagan, San Emilio, Ilocos Sur, is one lane passable and the Cervantes-Aluling-Bontoc Road (K0387+(-950)) in Brgy. Aluling, Cervantes, Ilocos Sur is not passable.
    Meanwhile, the Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office has reported one casualty from Sitio Baudan, Barangay Man-atong, Suyo, Ilocos Sur.
    The victim was an 88-year-old female caught in the landslide caused by the magnitude 7.0 earthquake.