CARIGARA, Leyte – The Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH) has completed the P49 million slope protection project along a landslide prone road section in Barangay Lemon, Capoocan, Leyte.
The concrete wall protecting the national highway from landslide covers a total length of 350 meters and a height of 8 meters. The department also rehabilitated the canal along this structure.
According to Gerald Pacanan, DPWH Leyte 2 district engineer, this section along Palo-Carigara-Ormoc road accommodates a huge number of motorists and travelling public everyday as it connects to major cities in the province, Tacloban and Ormoc.
“This will prevent major soil erosions that could endanger the properties and lives of the people utilizing the highway,” he added.
The permanent concrete structure will provide slope stability, thus avoiding abrupt collapse of weakened slope brought upon by heavy downpour and natural ground movement.
In December 2017, one lane of this particular road section was left impassable to traffic due to a landslide and after a portion of the road collapsed during the onslaught of Tropical Storm Urduja.
“In the recent years, the country has experienced series of strong typhoons and earthquakes that have caused major damages and casualties. That is why the department continuously implements quality infrastructure projects that could safeguard the life of every Filipino,” said Pacanan.
In Leyte 2, Capoocan is among the high-risk towns susceptible to landslides, along with some inland villages in Burauen, La Paz, and Mac Arthur based on the geo-hazard assessment conducted by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
