Agana Bridge in Tarlac City collapsed Saturday night, pulling a car with five people into the swollen Tarlac River. One occupant was pulled to safety, while emergency crews were still searching for the other four as of the latest reports. It is the second bridge in the city to give way in about 24 hours as the southwest monsoon, or habagat, kept battering Central Luzon.
Second collapse in a day
The Agana Bridge in Barangay Tibag, which crosses the Tarlac River, collapsed around 8:32 p.m. Saturday according to the Tarlac City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. A gray Toyota Avanza carrying five people fell into the river when the structure gave way, the incident report said.
City authorities said one of the five passengers was rescued and brought to Tarlac Provincial Hospital for assessment, while the search continued for the remaining four. The Agana Bridge was closed to all motorists after continuous rains and the strong flow of the Tarlac River damaged the structure.
| Bridge | Location | When it gave way | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aquino Bridge | Tarlac City | Late Friday, Aug 28 | Partial collapse, closed; DPWH to build a temporary steel span |
| Agana Bridge | Barangay Tibag, over the Tarlac River | Saturday night, Aug 29 | Collapsed; car with 5 fell in, 1 rescued, 4 unaccounted for |
Aquino Bridge gave way first
The middle portion of the Aquino Bridge collapsed before midnight Friday, around 11:55 p.m. per the San Isidro barangay, also amid relentless Habagat rains. Tarlac was placed under a red rainfall warning on Friday according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
The decades-old structure links Tarlac City to Sta. Ignacia, Mayantoc, Camiling and San Clemente, with access toward Mangatarem, Pangasinan. It was built during the term of former President Corazon Aquino and named after her late husband, Ninoy Aquino, and had been repaired and expanded in 2014 to 2015 after past typhoon damage.
DPWH: temporary steel span, sinkhole probe
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon inspected the damage Saturday and said the agency would build a temporary steel structure to reconnect the collapsed portion of Aquino Bridge, calling it a critical link for residents and for motorists traveling to and from Pangasinan.
Dizon said floodwaters washed away part of the bridge support structure, causing one segment to fall, and that he had ordered bridge engineers from Metro Manila to assess the span. The agency is also investigating a sinkhole near the bridge, and part of the pedestrian walkway has been closed as a precaution. Dizon reiterated the need for regular dredging and desilting of the riverbed.
At a glance
- Two collapses in a day: Agana Bridge fell Saturday night, roughly a day after Aquino Bridge partially gave way.
- Vehicle in the river: a Toyota Avanza with five occupants; one rescued, four unaccounted for.
- Affected link: Agana Bridge carried traffic across the Tarlac River in Barangay Tibag.
- Cause so far: continuous Habagat rains and strong river currents, with reported damage to bridge supports.
Search and rescue ongoing
Emergency response and rescue operations were initiated following the Agana collapse, and the Tarlac City government said it was continuing the search while verifying the identities and conditions of those involved. As of the latest reports Saturday night, the fate of the four others had not yet been confirmed.
For the broader picture of the same weather event, see our earlier coverage of the red rainfall warning across Metro Manila and Luzon and the lahar and flood warnings from Phivolcs for Pinatubo and Taal.
