By Marie Tonette Marticio
TACLOBAN City - Two passenger buses and a utility vehicle (UV) were covered by a mudslide in Barangay Binaloan, Taft, Eastern Samar around 4 P.M., Friday afternoon (January 3).
(Photo by Norman Clyde)
According to the Department of Public Works and Highways Eastern Samar District Engineering Office, JM Liner and Eaglestar Buses and a passenger van were were bound for Borongan City from Tacloban City when they were covered by about 10,000 cubic meters of rocks and debris as a result of the incident.
The passengers were able to vacate the vehicles, hence no casualties were recorded.
Prior to the incident, two landslides were reported at around 9:30 and 11:00 A.M. in the area.
Reports said the town has been experiencing heavy rains since Thursday night causing the soil to loosen, which could have triggered the landslide.
As of 6:30 P.M. Friday, the Wright-Taft Road in Barangay Binaloan has not been passable to all types of vehicles. Motorists coming from Tacloban were advised to take alternate route via Buenavista-Lawaan-Marabut.
DPWH has deployed its equipment and manpower to conduct a clearing operation.