Several institutions led by the Ministry of Transport and Public Works carry out the cleaning of the road between kilometers 114 and 115 of the Ibarra-San Lorenzo highway, at the height of El Guadual, with heavy machinery.
Geologists and technicians are carrying out several studies for the rehabilitation that makes possible the vehicular circulation suspended eight days ago. It is estimated that they must remove more than 3,000 cubic meters of rocks, soil and vegetation, accumulated in approximately 170 meters of distance at kilometer 114.
Faced with the situation and incommunicado, the Imbabura COE asked to declare the Ibarra San Lorenzo highway in emergency. In view of the collapses that occurred in this section, the alternate carriageway that connects Guallupe – Gualchán – Chical – Tulcán – Ibarra, and vice versa, in the northwest is used.
Motor vehicles must travel more than 250 km on a 45% ballasted road, which requires seven hours of travel. Luis Fernando Rea, zonal director 1 of the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, commented that this route has been used since last December 21, the day on which two large landslides occurred.
Havoc
The lack of communication causes havoc in several communities in the Lita and La Carolina parishes, where the shortage of food, domestic gas, among others, is felt because they are isolated.
Jairo Cantincuz, president of the Federation of Awá Nationalities, who made the crossing of the destroyed road to reach San Lorenzo, said that it is a dangerous section, on a slope with spikes and trails.
You have to walk on foot, loading luggage from San Gerónimo to make the transfer and access a vehicle that will take you to your destination, after an hour’s walk.
The residents have installed cables and tarabitas for the transfer of loads in the affected section of the E – 10. Cantincuz recommends to the population not to cross this section affected by inclement weather.
“Do not risk this collapse because of the danger it represents, a slip or the presence of a new avalanche from the top would bury those who walk through the sector.”
Meanwhile, Pablo Jurado, prefect of Imbabura, accepting a report from his technicians, announced that the recovery of this artery could last six months, something that generates concern among frequent users of this route.
The information from the Provincial Government of Imbabura indicates that in half a year the road will be cleaned, the slipped material will be evacuated, studies will be carried out, the emergency declaration will be attended and the works will be carried out.
Rea clarified that the opening and regeneration time of the E-10 would be a function of the type of solution that the MTOP specialists are going to give in this type of works, something they have been doing at the moment since last Monday.
Until then, seven machines dislodge the material fallen on the road with the support of the Municipality of Ibarra. 28 vehicles that were stuck in the middle of the two collapses were recovered last Friday, December 24, the rest the next day. (I)
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