Rains affect sections of roads in communities of Esmeraldas; sinkholes and potholes complicate transit

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Sinking of the asphalt layer and destabilization of electrical wiring poles were recorded between the El Vergel and El Mirador sectors, of the E20 Esmeraldas-Quinindé highway, due to the rains.

This sector is considered unstable due to the frequent landslides of the mountain that borders this road. Already in 2012, some 200 meters of the road collapsed, leaving Esmeraldas cut off from other provinces.

Due to damage to the E20 road, the posts are at risk of collapsing, so, as a preventive measure, the sector between El Mirador and El Vergel was isolated. In the early hours of this Wednesday the 9th, work was resumed to normalize the service, CNEL EP reported.

The Ministry of Transport and Public Works (MTOP) intervenes in 16 sites with the maintenance of critical points, slope stability and corrective measures, since last January. Repair that has a cost of $1,993,267.50 and is estimated to be completed in 210 days by the contracting company EP Luis Vargas Torres.

The most vulnerable sites are El Mirador, Tahigüe, Chaflú, Cube and Chucaple, where subsidence, loss of asphalt and geological faults have been recorded.

Pablo Limones, director of the intra-cantonal passenger transport operator Cautrac, said that traveling the 40.2 kilometers between Quinindé and Viche is considered high risk for carriers.

Heavy cargo and interprovincial passenger service carriers also expressed their discomfort at the mechanical damage to their vehicles and the risk of traffic accidents.

“Other effects, such as potholes in the asphalt, are evident on this state highway and also affect tourism,” said Maritza Arizala, from a travel agency that transports tourists from abroad to the green province.

In the opinion of René Gómez, leader of the Union of Heavy Transport, this maintenance will improve the mobility of transportation and therefore they participate as overseers.

The MTOP also reported a landslide near the Lagarto parish, on the E15 north Esmeraldas-Rioverde highway, which was cleared with machinery from this institution. (I)