Traffic jammed as landslide closes Diversion Road

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio
ordered the 48-hour closure along Carlos P. Garcia Highway (Diversion
Road), Old Dumpsite section or from the Shrine Road to Matina Pangi, to
give way to the clearing and repair works following the minor landslide
triggered by a series of heavy rainfall.

This means, the Diversion Road will be closed until Sunday morning, and
motorists coming from the south should expect massive traffic jam
similar, but not quite like Friday since it's a weekend.

In an interview with SunStar Davao, Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction
Management Council (CDRRMC) operation officer Rodrigo Bustillo said that
 they initially recommended to the mayor the closure of roads Thursday
evening because of the minor landslide.

The closure caused massive traffic jam as all vehicles are now passing
through McArthur Highway, including cargo trucks. Several office workers
 and students from Matina down south farther on to Toril were stuck in
traffic for hours.

Duterte-Carpio released an order for the road closure, prohibiting entry
 of all types of vehicles to avoid further inconvenience to the public
and to also protect motorists from another landslide.

"Even Thursday evening, we recommended for the closure of Diversion Road
 because of traffic. The mayor gave a directive earlier for 48 hours
closure while the repair is ongoing in the landslide area," he said.

The public is advised to avoid the road and take the alternative routes,
 although very few are available for this section.

Various agencies coordinated to fast track the repair and to restore the
 normal flow of traffic including Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH, Philippine National Police (PNP), barangay officials,
Davao City Social Service Development Office (CSSDO), Davao City
Engineer's Office (CEO), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and Davao
City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO), he said.

Bustillo said that DPWH started the repair and implementation of
mitigating measures to prevent further erosion.

Aside from the heavy rain that has softened the soil, the constant
vibration of passing cargo trucks caused the soil to loosen some more.

Meanwhile, Bustillo said that evacuation is still ongoing for residents.
 A total of seven families were evacuated Friday morning. Evacuees were
temporarily sheltered in Los Amigos, Tugbok District while some took
refuge with relatives.

They have also conducted force evacuation among residents dwelling near
danger zone. However, there are still families who insist to stay but
they were told of the danger of staying in the area.

So far, no casualties were recorded by their office related to the
landslide and flooding.

As of 3:30 p.m. Friday, the DPWH said "Soil stabilization/slope
protection operations at the landslide area along the Diversion Road is
ongoing."

"Once completed, information will be immediately made available to the
public. In the meantime, please continue to avoid the Diversion Road
until further notice. The City Government of Davao and the Department of
 Public Works and Highways are working closely together to expedite
clearing operations and ensure the safety of the public," the DPWH
advisory read.

Earlier, the City Government warned the public on the imminent danger of
 landslide in Shrine Hills and Diversion Road in Barangay Langub.

Emmanuel Jaldon, head of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Center of Davao, said the ground cracks of the upper portion of the hill
 indicated movements.

In the weather forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical
Astronomical Service Administration (Pagasa), Mindanao will experience
partly cloudy to cloudy skies apart from isolated rainshowers mostly in
the afternoon or evening due to localized thunderstorms.

Winds will be light to moderate coming from the South to Southeast with
slight to moderate seas.>