Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on Monday ordered the temporary closure of the Metro Cebu Expressway due to landslides caused by weather disturbances over the weekend.

In a statement, Garcia said the portion of Phase 3A of the expressway project spanning over 23 kilometers from the city of Naga to Minglanilla town experienced a landslide because of rains last weekend.

“I have asked the police provincial director (Col. Percival Zorilla) to alert all the PNP (Philippine National Police) in the area of Naga to put up a barrier so that we will first close off this road until there will be enough measures to be put in place,” Garcia said, citing the need to safeguard the lives of motorists traversing the expressway.

According to the report, portions of the expressway along the Handog Industrial Gases Riverside III in Barangay Inayagan, Barangay Cantao-an, up to Sugbu ACS Trading in Sitio Upper Bayong in Barangay Inayagan in Naga, are not yet passable.

Portions of the expressway have collapsed while cracks were found in some areas where landslides were also reported.

The governor instructed motorists to use diversion roads in Brooklyn in Barangay Naalad of Naga City as well as in Tungkop in Minglanilla town.

The 56.94-kilometer Metro Cebu Expressway is being constructed in four phases – 1, 2, 3A and 3B – with the first three to be completed through government funds while the 3B phase through public-private partnership.

Once completed, the project will serve as another north-south backbone, enabling a continuous traffic flow from Naga City in the south to Danao City in the north, traversing the slopes of Cebu’s scenic mountain ranges, aiming to considerably reduce traffic congestion in Metro Cebu. (PNA)

Photo credit: Facebook/jesua.garciano