Landslide hits Lapu-Lapu, 13 households evacuated

CEBU, Philippines – The Lapu-Lapu City government has ordered the evacuation of the residents of sitio Semento Barangay Pusok because of the landslide affecting the area brought about by the heavy downpour yesterday.

The forced evacuation notice issued against the 13 households directly affected by the landslide was signed by Mayor Paz Radaza.

Radaza ordered Barangay Captain Boy Umolon to serve the notice to the occupants of the houses, including two boarding houses. Umolon was also ordered to facilitate the evacuation and to coordinate with the city government for whatever assistance that may be required for the 92 individuals affected.

"Due to the soil erosion in the afternoon today, which directly affected your houses, putting them under serious risk of further damage and risking life in a very unsafe condition, you are hereby directed to vacate immediately your respective houses," the order read.

In Cebu City, disaster monitoring has been called off yesterday after assessing that there is no more threat of any untoward incidents that may be brought by super-typhoon Juan.

The Cebu City Disasters Coordinating Council decided to terminate the citywide disaster monitoring as the typhoon is expected to already leave the country today.

CCDCC executive director Alvin Santillana however said that the Bureau of Fire Protection Search and Rescue Unit will remain on call in case of emergencies. Other rescuers and response team have already been pulled out from their respective stations.

These include the City Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team, Department of Engineering and Public Works, Department of Public Services, Parks and Playground Committee, 51st Reserve Marines, Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation and Basak-Pardo Emergency Rescue.

The command post that Mayor Michael Rama ordered to be set up to monitor possible disasters stayed three days since Saturday.

Reports of landslides and other disasters in upland sitios were properly responded and zero casualties were attained, Santillana said.

"The setting up of a command post and our efforts to respond to emergencies served as a dry-run for us for a more serious crisis situation that we might encounter in the future," Santillana said.

Santillana said that the CCDCC will be of constant monitoring but asked the barangay especially in low lying areas and mountain slopes to stay alert.

In the province, repairs have already been done to affected areas in the southern towns of Alegria and Malabuyoc.

A bridge detour in Barangay Montañeza, Malabuyoc was washed out by floods Saturday evening making the national highway impassable to motor vehicles. A landslide in Sitio Tumandok, Barangay Legaspi in Alegria also blocked the national highway.

Aside from the effects on infrastructure, there was also a reported effect on agriculture because of the floods in Argao. Other areas with reported minor destructions include Santander, Samboan, Ginatilan, Ronda, Asturias, Catmon, Balamban, Toledo, Pinamungajan and Dumanjug. - Jessica Ann R. Pareja and Ria Mae Y. Booc/FPL (FREEMAN)