The clean-up activities were completed after the landslide on the Myawady-Kawkareik section of Asia Highway and the stranded vehicles passed using a single-lane road on 15 August, according to the Road Department under the Ministry of Construction.
A landslide caused on by prolonged torrential rain blocked the Myawady to Kawkareik Road, between 149.5- and 151-Mile posts on 7 August. Currently, the clean-up activities were completed and the operation of stranded vehicles was resumed. Similarly, a slight landslide occurred between 155- and 156-Mile posts of Asia Highway after the continuous heavy rain and the officials arranged to remove the blockages.
“We have been transporting the needed materials for road maintenance to build a Bailey bridge as there was a 15-foot crack on tar road between 149 and 149.5-Mile posts since 10 August. If the weather condition is fine and carry out the work in full capacity, it will complete before the fixed date. The Myawady-Kawkareik section will be reopened after this road section has been repaired. Currently, the private cars and small trucks are allowed to pass the old Htokawkoe section, the old Myawady-Kawkareik section daily,” an official of Kayin State Road Department said.
The Myawady-Kawkareik section of the Asia Highway is key to trade flows of Myanmar-Thai bilateral trade and is also a part of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC). The country exports corn and rubber through this road section and the highway expresses from Myawady to Yangon and Mandalay, trucks and private cars run on the road daily. — ASH/KTZH
