Torrential rains close bridge detour roads in Batac City

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

Batac City—A detour road of an ongoing bridge construction in this city was closed after heavy rains caused a river to overflow.

According to the Ilocos Norte second engineering district of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the detour bridges located along the national highway in Barangay Tabug and Nangnuangan (Baligat-Dariwdiw) became impassable to all kinds of vehicles due to overflow.

As per advisory from the Batac City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), motorists bound to the northern and eastern parts of Ilocos Norte were advised take the Pias, Currimao-Balacad road instead.

Intense rain brought about by the southwest monsoon for the past few days has flooded water canals and several farmlands in Batac City, stretching down to its neighbouring Paoay town as catch basis because the Quiaoit river in Batac City overflowed again.

To date, the DPWH have yet to finish the on-going construction of the P16-million rehabilitation of the Nagbibingcaan Bridge, rehabilitation of the Tabug Bridge worth P11 million; and construction of canals on the Manila North Road from Badoc to San Nicolas town worth P9-million budget.

According to District Engineer Mathias Malenab of the Ilocos Norte second engineering district, the funds for the said projects were only released on the second quarter of this year, hence, the project implementation commenced at the onset of rainy season.

“We are doing everything we can to act on this situation,” Mr. Malenab said in a radio interview while conducting inspection at the project site.

Meanwhile, the local chief executives in most part of Ilocos Norte's second district covering Batac, Paoay, Badoc, Pinili, Currimao, Dingras, and Marcos suspended classes in both primary and secondary schools while its neighboring Nueva Era town has no classes in elementary level and at the Ugis National High School only.

For the province's first district, only Vintar Mayor Jose Foronda cancelled classes for both primary and secondary schools in Vintar as the water level of Bislak River reached critical level.

In Laoag City and the most parts of the province’s first district, all school levels except for the Northwestern University of Laoag conducted classes.

Based on advisory from Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos, it states “A wide difference in flood conditions prevailing in the province, local government units should decide on the suspension of classes. A new cloud cluster has settled over Ilocos Norte, and rain may persist over the next few days.”

While the governor and the engineering department was chasing floods in most parts of Batac and Paoay, she urged all local chief executives here to closely monitor the situation in their areas of responsibility and suspend classes if needed.

In Pagudpud, Mayor Marlon Sales said all roads remain passable in the area and there was no reported incident of landslide so far.