Freak accident damages portion of San Juanico

A portion of the San Juanico Bridge, which links Samar and Leyte islands, tilted Sunday after a tugboat carrying sand and other construction materials rammed into one of its foundations.

Damage to the bridge was initially estimated at P25 million.

The tugboat LCT Challenger is being used by a subcontractor of Japanese firm Sumitomo to ferry materials for the P100-million rehabilitation of the decades-old bridge.

Quoting field reports, Salvador Pleyto, assistant secretary for Visayas operations of the Department of Public Works and Highways, said "strong current" caused the tugboat to break free from its anchorage and drift before slamming into Pier 35, one of the bridge’s concrete foundations.

"The impact was really so strong it caused that portion of the bridge to tilt," he said.

Pleyto said the damaged part of San Juanico is now impassable to vehicles and that the bridge is now limited to vehicles weighing under 20 tons.

"I will ask the military to help us enforce the (weight limit) to make sure no accidents would happen," he said.

Pleyto said the two decks of San Juanico, the country’s longest bridge, were seriously damaged. — Jose Aravilla