MANILA, Philippines 鈥 The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said 42 road sections in seven regions nationwide were closed to traffic as of Friday morning due to the devastation caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami).
In an advisory issued at 6 a.m., the DPWH said road sections are closed to traffic in the following areas:
- Eight in the Cordillera Administrative Region
- Nine in Metro Manila
- One in Region I
- Two in Region II
- One in Region III
- Six in Region IV-A
- 15 in Region V
READ: Kristine triggers floods, landslides, blackouts
According to the agency, the roads were closed due to 鈥渟oil collapse, flooding, collapsed pavement, landslide, fallen trees, rock collapse, rockslides, debris, and collapsed bridge.鈥
The DPWH reported that three national roads 鈥 one in Region II, one in Region IV-A, and one in Region V 鈥 remained impassable.
It added that soil and rock collapse, flooding, and the continuing bad weather due to Kristine have resulted in limited access to 14 road sections nationwide. These road sections are found in the following regions:
- Seven in Region IV-A
- Seven in Region V
READ: Cavite under state of calamity as storm whips province
鈥淎ll national roads and bridges in other affected regions are passable to all types of vehicles as of captioned date and time,鈥 the DPWH said.
As of 6 a.m. on Thursday, October 24, only 27 road sections nationwide were closed as Kristine lashed parts of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The state weather agency reported in its 5 a.m. bulletin on Friday that the center of Kristine was last seen 125 kilometers west-northwest of Bacnotan, La Union, packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 115 kph.
Kristine is forecast to move west-northwestward to westward over the next 48 hours and leave the Philippine area of responsibility by Friday afternoon.