Topaz Road in Ortigas Center in Pasig City was temporarily closed due to deep cracks that appeared on Sunday, August 22. 

Responders from the Pasig City local government and Barangay San Antonio, which has jurisdiction over the street, responded after the cracks were reported on Sunday. 

As an initial preventive measure, Barangay San Antonio placed tarpaulins on top of the cracks to prevent water from seeping in. Caution lines were also placed on the road, while security forces from Barangay San Antonio were deployed to man the area. 

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority also issued an alert on Monday, August 23, in relation to the road closure and advised motorists to take alternate routes.

Not linked to natural disasters

According to Barangay San Antonio, the Pasig City Engineering Department, Pasig City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and other concerned offices conducted an initial investigation into the road cracks on Monday. 

The Pasig City local government also reached out to the Office of the Civil Defense and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) for further actions on the incident. The road will remain closed as Barangay San Antonio still awaits the recommendation of the Pasig City Engineering Department.

On Monday night, Pasig City Engineer Alfredo Garin said the cracks were caused by old, broken drainage. 

“Hindi na akma doon po sa discharge ng accommodation ng bawat building na ito. ‘Yung status ng soil, adobe ito, kaya lang dahil sa outburst ng drainage line o ng water line kaya nagkaroon ng scouring. Napunta ngayon doon sa malalim na hinuhukay noong ibang lupa,” Garin said in an interview with GMA’s 24 Oras. 

(It is no longer appropriate for the discharge of the accommodation of these buildings. The status of the soil, it’s adobe, but because of the outburst of the drainage line or water line, scouring occurred. It went to the deeper part that was digging out the other parts of the soil.)

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum also dismissed the claims that the road cracks were caused by fault lines. 

“Walang fault diyan, kung fault ‘yan at gumalaw ‘yung fault ay dapat ay lumindol nang malakas,” Solidum said in an interview with GMA’s DZBB on Monday. 

(There’s no fault in that area, if that was caused by a fault and that fault moved, there should have been a strong earthquake.) – Rappler.com