Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Mexican coastal highway collapses

 

 
 
Part of a picturesque toll highway that tourists use to travel between the Mexican towns of Ensenada and Tijuana collapsed this weekend, civil protection officials in Mexico said.
One of the holes created by the landslide was more than 40 feet deep and stretched 200 feet long.
A cement truck was stuck when the ground started shifting, but the driver made it out safely, officials told CNNMexico. The truck ended up tumbling into the Pacific Ocean, which is just west of the road.
Officials say it may take as long as a year to repair the damage. Building a temporary road is one option being considered, authorities said. For now, motorists will use a nearby free road.
It is unclear what caused the landslide.
According to the United States Geological Survey, a magnitude-4.6 earthquake centered about 60 miles southeast of Ensenada struck on December 19, but the events might not be connected. On the Facebook page of the Baja California Civil Protection services, officials said the road is not in an area where there is a fault line.
The damage occurred about 60 miles from Mexico's border with the United States.

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