Landslide buries farm, 4 houses in Malabuyoc

Four houses and an estimated P1.7 million worth of agricultural farm products and livestock were buried after part of a mountain collapsed into sitio Walog Lower, barangay Cerdeña, Malabuyoc town last Wednesday evening.

Police have not received reports of casualties or missing persons as of yesterday aside from the damages in the area some 14 kilometers from the town center.  People in the area have already evacuated to safer ground for fear of another landslide, police said.

PO1 Dionesio Anticristo said Malabuyoc Councilor Hemostenes Ponce, who is also the municipal chairman of the Disaster and Coordinating Council, along with SPO3 Feliciano Fuentes, inspected the area and assessed the damage after the incident.

According to the initial investigation the landslide damaged an estimated five hectares of farmland tended by the residents, it was not yet clear if the lots were privately owned but there were reports that several farm animals were buried during the incident.

Police said, prior to the landslide, the barangay and town officials warned the residents, especially those living near the base of the cliff, to move to a safer area after cracks on the cliffs were seen just few days ago prior to the incident.

Anticristo said unconfirmed reports had it that residents noticed the cracks after a firm started drilling nearby, but they also suspect it could have been caused by continuous rains.

Anticristo went to the area yesterday and said that one resident told him that his house moved a few meters downhill from its original place as a result of the slide.  The house remains intact.

 “Murag ikaduha o ikatulo naba ni nga nidahili ang yuta sa maong lugar.  Kaganiha sa among pag-adto sa among paminaw morag nagdahunog ang yuta ug nagkaanam og pagpangliki,” Anticristo said.

Some residents whose lived in the area but whose houses were not affected have nevertheless decided to rebuild in another area for fear of another landslide.

Barangay Cerdeña is located at the boundary of Malabuyoc and Boljoon towns.   — Edwin Ian Melecio/BRP