Old drainage system gives way, causes crack along Ortigas street

The over one-kilometer crack found along Topaz Street in Ortigas Center, Pasig City was caused by the old drainage, according to city authorities.

In a report by Emil Sumangil over "24 Oras," city engineers found that the surge of water from the old  drainage system damaged a portion of the road.

"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," said Pasig City Engineer Alfredo Garin, citing their initial report on the Topaz Street crack. The road damage was near the high rise buildings in Pasig.

(This is not compatible with the accommodation of buildings. The soil is adobe but because of the outburst of the drainage line or water line, scouring occurred. The soil then was excavated.)

City engineers also dismissed claims that nearby construction activities affected the damage.

It is also premature to order an evacuation as city authorities see no imminent danger brought by the damage.

The area is currently cordoned off to allow authorities to fix the crack, which will take three to five days.

PHIVOLCS earlier dismissed claims that a faultline caused the long cracks on Pasig Street.

"There's no fault in that area, if those cracks were caused by the movement of a fault then there should be an earthquake," said PHIVOLCS chief Renato Solidum, in Filipino.—Consuelo Marquez/LDF, GMA News