Infra damage due to Rolly now at P5.756B —DPWH

The damage to infrastructure brought by the onslaught of Super Typhoon Rolly has so far reached P5.7 billion, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Tuesday.

The running total is slightly higher than the P5.6-billion worth of damage reported by the department on Monday.

The amount, P5.756 billion, as of November 3, was the estimated cost of damage to roads, bridges, flood-control structures, and public buildings caused by the catastrophe.

Public Works and Highway Secretary Mark A. Villar said the typhoon has so far caused P1.515 billion damage to roads, P458.2 million damage to bridges, P2.036 billion damage to flood-control structures, P367.25 million damage to public buildings, and P1.379 billion to other infrastructure.

“As expected, our assessment teams identified that the majority of the destruction is in the Bicol Region, amounting to P4.621 billion,” Villar said.

The DPWH Bicol Region has also reported the closed roads in the island province of Catanduanes which was previously isolated and unreachable due to province-wide power outage and unavailable telecommunication signal since the landfall of Super Typhoon Rolly.

Impassable roads in Catanduanes include the intermittent sections of Catanduanes Circumferential Road due to landslides and fallen trees specifically along K0009+200 and K0009+500 sections in Brgy. Balongbong, Bato, K0029+500 and K0029+700 sections in Brgy. Libod, Pandan, K0172+200 section in Brgy. Putting Baybay, San Andres, and along the K0000+000 - K00009+200 section from Brgy. Francia, Virac to Brgy. Balongbong, Bato.

Also closed are Jct. Bato – Baras Road and Baras – Gigmoto – Viga Road due to fallen electrical posts.

“DPWH quick response teams are fast-tracking clearing operations along the affected road sections in the island as we have no alternative routes as of the moment. These roads must be opened soonest for the relief efforts which Catanduanes badly needs right now,” Villar said.

Aside from the three roads in Catanduanes, five other road closures were reported in Region 5, namely Tabaco Wharf Road 2, Ligao -Tabaco Road (S03651LZ) K0520+373 - K0520+723, Matacon Polangui Jct. Rd. section KO488+300- K0492+600 in Albay; Lagonoy-Caramoan Road K0530+300, RS, Ancolan, Presentacion, and Nabua- Balatan Road in Camarines Sur.

The DPWH also identified two remaining closed road section in the Cordillera Administrative Region and Central Luzon namely: Apayao-Ilocos Norte Road, K0630+100 - K0630+130, Dibagat, Kabugao, Apayao and Nueva Ecija - Aurora Road Detour Road at Diteki Bridge due to fallen poles, wires, and other debris.

To date, a total of 19 road sections were already cleared and opened by the DPWH quick response teams, according to the agency.—AOL, GMA News