LRT-2 resumes normal operations following lightning strike disruption

MANILA — Normal train operations along Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) fully resumed on Wednesday morning following a major service disruption on Tuesday afternoon.

Full line service from Recto Station in Manila to Antipolo Station in Rizal was restored at 5:00 a.m. after repair teams resolved technical issues caused by bad weather.

Operations were limited starting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday after a lightning strike hit and damaged a catenary wire near Antipolo Station. The incident forced the management to limit train trips to the Recto-Santolan segment, leaving commuters stranded along the line’s eastern corridor.

Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Administrator Hernando Cabrera stated that necessary repairs and safety inspections were completed around 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday, paving the way for the full reopening early Wednesday morning.

During the peak of the disruption on Tuesday evening, passengers scrambled for alternative transportation at Santolan Station, which served as the temporary eastern terminal.

Johnny De Lara, 56, a regular commuter who arrived at Santolan Station around 6:30 p.m., described the massive congestion as passengers struggled to make their way home.

“Talagang dito ako bumababa [sa] Santolan. Ang dami… Kawawa sila… Pati ‘yung matatanda kawawa nga… stranded sila tsaka wala silang masasakyan,” De Lara said, recalling the overwhelming crowd. “Talagang dami, ang kapal ng tao.”

Outside the station, the sudden influx of displaced rail commuters created bottleneck traffic as people rushed to secure rides on public jeepneys and buses, another commuter observed.

Eighteen-year-old student Denver Avila, who arrived at Santolan around 7:00 p.m., likened the scene inside and outside the station to a temporary relief area.

“Pagkarating ko dito sa Santolan, marami pang tao na parang evacuation center po dito. Tapos ‘yung mga tao po diyan sa labas napakarami, nag-aagawan po sa jeep kaya nag-tra-traffic,” Avila said.

With system checks completed overnight, the LRTA assured the riding public that all trains and power lines are now safe for regular daily operations.