ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews / 7 February) — Barangay Abuno in Iligan City was severely impacted by Tropical Typhoon “Basyang,” with two steel bridges collapsing and numerous houses damaged by floodwaters early Friday. Leonardo Herbito Jr., a resident whose home was affected, estimated the bridges fell around 1 a.m. Thursday but couldn’t confirm which collapsed first—Panul-iran Bridge or Malindawag Bridge. Both steel bridges, resembling Bailey bridges from World War II, were swept away by the strong Tubod River current, their remnants visible downstream. Panul-iran Bridge, part of the Lanao del Norte Interior Circumferential Road linking Iligan to Tagoloan and Balo-i, forced vehicles to reroute, while Malindawag Bridge was Sitio Malindawag’s sole connection to downtown Iligan. Residents resorted to crossing the river via a precarious water pipe, aided by a nylon rope, despite the dangers. Construction worker Danilo Gomez expressed concern over the delayed replacement of the decade-old bridge, citing the ongoing crisis. Herbito criticized the Department of Public Works and Highways and contractor Dicon Builders Inc., blaming the low elevation of the flood-control dike for exacerbating the damage to his home. Efforts by residents to install bamboo supports for safer crossings highlighted their resilience. MindaNews contacted Dicon Builders for comment but received no reply by the time of posting. (Bobby Timonera / MindaNews)
