Kalinga, Philippines: Rains damage bridge and trigger landslides

Barangay officials on Wednesday closed a bridge to motorists in Tabuk City in Kalinga province after incessant rains caused by the northeast monsoon damaged it.

The San Julian bridge broke and its road approach was damaged on Tuesday, Jan. 3, due to rains, which have been pouring without letup since last weekend.

San Julian Barangay Captain Benazeer Baliang advised motorists to take an alternate route while the bridge underwent repairs.

In Tinglayan town, landslides on Tuesday blocked the Tabuk City, Kalinga-Bontoc, Mt. Province road in Barangay Bugnay that forced ten stranded passengers to be housed at the local government’s guest rooms.

Clearing operations by the Department of Public Works and Highways were ongoing, Engineer Teodoro Owek of the DPWH Upper Kalinga District Engineering Office said.

Rains continued to swell rivers in Isabela and Cagayan as overflow bridges of Baculod, Cansan-Bagutari, Santo Tomas-Cabagan, Bagunot, and Capatan remained submerged in waters on Wednesday.