ROAD CLEARING. Energy China’s project department sends heavy equipment to help clear Gov. Bado Dangwa National Road in Benguet after a magnitude 7 earthquake struck northern Luzon on July 27, 2022. China Energy Engineering Group Guanxi Hydroelectric Construction Bureau Co. Ltd. is building the Kapangan hydropower plant in Kapangan, Benguet. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – Energy China’s project department that is constructing the Kapangan hydropower plant in Kapangan, Benguet has played an active role in the emergency rescue and disaster relief work after a magnitude 7 earthquake struck northern Luzon on July 27.
The destructive tremor was felt at the Kapangan hydropower plant project, which is located about 120 kilometers away from the epicenter in Abra province.
The project department of the Kapangan hydropower plant undertaken by China Energy Engineering Group Guangxi Hydroelectric Construction Bureau Co. Ltd. has promptly activated an emergency response mechanism and evacuated all its personnel in an orderly manner, and no one was injured.
In response to possible strong aftershocks, a temporary relocation site has been set up and moved large machinery to a safe area and removed rocks from the side slopes of the hydropower plant's main dam and set up a cordon to ensure the safety of the personnel and property of the project.
The project department also immediately formed its own emergency rescue team to join all sectors of society in mobilizing rescue and relief operations right after the earthquake.
Personnel, machinery, and supplies sent by the project department were among the first to arrive at the epicenter to carry out rescue and relief activities at sections of roads affected by landslides and cave-ins.
Energy China's personnel have carried out emergency rescue and disaster relief tasks at earthquake-stricken areas for two consecutive days and repaired three road sections damaged by the disaster, winning wide praise from the Kapangan municipal government for the quick response and high work efficiency.
The project department will continue cooperating with the local government to conduct geological disaster prediction and research into the trends in geological disasters to propel post-disaster reconstruction and resume construction of the hydropower plant as soon as possible. (PR)
