Rockslide damages Suhua Highway tunnel; traffic limited to one lane

Taipei, April 26 (CNA) Traffic in the Daqingshui open-cut tunnel on Provincial Highway No. 9 in Hualien has been restricted to one lane after a rockslide struck the tunnel's rock shed early Sunday, damaging its steel roof structure.

According to the Highway Bureau, the tunnel, which is part of Taiwan's Suhua Highway, was initially closed to traffic after the rockslide occurred around midnight at the road's 159.4-kilometer marker.

Following emergency repairs, the tunnel was reopened with alternating one-lane traffic in both directions at 2:20 a.m., the bureau said.

During ongoing repair work, traffic will continue to be limited to a single lane, the agency added, advising motorists to follow the directions of traffic personnel on site.

With a weather front bringing intermittent showers and localized heavy rain to parts of Taiwan in recent days, the agency's Eastern Region Branch warned motorists of possible hazards as rainfall was expected to continue overnight.

To ensure motorists' safety, the agency said the section of Highway No. 9 between Heren and Chongde, from the 154.7-km to the 165.7-km mark, could be subject to a precautionary closure depending on the latest weather and road conditions.

The agency urged drivers to avoid mountain roads during periods of heavy rainfall unless absolutely necessary, as landslides and falling rocks can occur with little warning.

Motorists are also advised to monitor weather updates and road conditions before they set off on their trips, by visiting the Highway Bureau's real-time traffic information website.