Maintenance workers of Department of Public Works and Highways-Southern Leyte District Engineering Office cleared three road sections from minor rockslides on January 27, 2016 after days of heavy downpour in the province this week.
In a report from DPWH-SLDEO District Engineer Ma. Margarita C. Junia. flow of traffic was not interrupted by rockslides since debris only blocked half of the road and the maintenance team immediately cleared the road from debris with the prepositioning of heavy equipments in strategic areas.
The heavy rains have triggered rockslide and mudslides in Barangay Kahupian, Sogod town; boundary of Barangays Amaga and Tabugon in Liloan town; and Barangay Camang, San Ricardo town. These road sections are vital link from Leyte to Mindanao as part of the nautical highway’s eastern seaboard route. The DPWH has completed all clearing operations around 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
To prevent the rock falls and soil erosion, the SLDEO reiterated its proposal to pilot a project utilizing Swiss technololgy.
Junia said they are proposing to pilot a section in Barangay Kahupian in Sogod town for the stabilization control project in the most critical section, which has an ascending roadway and multiple blind curves.
The technology has been used as permanent solution to geohazards in other parts of the country under the Technical Cooperation Projects of the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The province would be the first in Eastern Visayas to pilot road slope stabilization control system developed by Swiss firm, Geobrugg.