Boljoon diversion road now passable

After five days, the 100-meter Boljoon diversion road is now passable to all kinds of vehicles.

It is the only road which directly connects the upper and lower barangays of the town as the original road was blocked with landmass from the landslide late last month.

Last week, only motorcycles can pass through the diversion road as landmass blocked the way. The continuous rains also threatened the safety of both the motorists and men doing the clearing operations.

People in the upper barangays complained because they cannot bring their produce to the town.

Up to this day, the barangays affected by the landslide remain under state of calamity and there is no definite date when it will be lifted according to Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Eutemio Ternate.

He said their interventions are temporary since there is still soil movement in the area.

Heavy equipment is also on standby in case another landslide happens.

MDRRMO will make “engineering interventions” so that water stored in the two craters caused by the landslide can be released.

Ternate said the water volume is estimated to reach 230,000 cubic meters.

Ternate added they are yet to determine the total amount of damage caused by the landslide.

At least 45 families were affected by the incident. At least 18 of them are completely homeless as they will not be allowed to return to the site where they used to live after the Mines and Geosciences Bureau found that they are living on top of a fault line and unstable ground.

Mitzi A. Ambrad/MBG