Tuguegarao Buntun Bridge to close once water level hits 12 meters

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan – The Buntun Bridge in Tuguegarao City will be temporarily closed to motorists once the water level of the Cagayan River reaches 12 meters, according to the Cagayan Third Engineering District.

In an interview with local media outlet, Engineer Esmeralda De Guzman, Distrtict Head of said Engineering Office, said monitoring teams are already stationed in Enrile, Solana, and even in Santiago, Isabela to alert motorists ahead of time if the bridge becomes unsafe for passage.

De Guzman stated that this measure is taken as the river keeps rising due to the effects of Super Typhoon Uwan, along with the continuous water discharge from Magat Dam.

For traverlers, she mentioned that there are alternate paths to Tuguegarao via Isabela, but she recommended that the public delay non-essential travel for their own safety.

As of this writing, the water level in the bridge now at 11.2 meters, leading officials to intensify their surveillance and get ready for a prompt shutdown if it increases to 12 meters.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 2 reported that as of November 11,  a total of 46,862 families or more than 100,000 individuals across five provinces in the region  have been affected by the super typhoon.

There are also 25 houses that were totally damaged while 142 were partially damaged.