4 cities, 6 towns landslide-prone

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau-7 has identified at least six municipalities and four cities, including Cebu City, to have barangays that are highly susceptible to landslide.

DENR-MGB-7 director Loreto B. Alburo said there are 19 landslide-prone barangays in Cebu City; six in Naga City; five in Toledo City and all mountain barangays in Talisay City. The municipalities which were also identified to have landslide-prone barangays are Balamban, 11; Asturias, 5; Pinamungajan, 1; Dumanjug, 2; Catmon, 12 and Ronda, 1. 

The barangays that were identified to be highly susceptible for landslide based on the geohazard mapping and on the result of the MGB rapid field assessment are Lusaran, Binaliw, Guba, Budlaan, Malubog, Buot-Taup, Busay, Sirao, Taptap, Tagbao, Tabunan, Pung-ol Sibugay, Sudlon II, Sudlon I, Sinsin, Buhisan, Pamutan, Sapangdaku, and Adlaon in Cebu City.

Tungkay, Pangamihan, Bagacay, Loay and Don Andres Soriano in Toledo City; Tagjaguimit, Alpaco, Balirong, Mayana, Naalad, and Cogon in Naga City.

Hingatmonan, Lamesa, Luca, Ginatilan, Cabasiangan, Matun-og, Cansomoroy, Gaas, Magsaysay, Cabagdalan, and Duangan in Balamban.

Barangays Amancion, Anapog, Bactas, Bongyas, Ambangkaya, Cabungaan, Can-ibuang, Duyan, Ginabucan, Panalipan, Tabili and Tinabyonan in Catmon; Agbanga, Baye, Bairan, Kanluangan and Sak-sak in Asturias; Barangay Lamac in Pinamungajan; Didol and Purok 3 in Dumanjug and Cansalonoy in Ronda.

Alburo has advised the communities and residents located in these barangays to be extra careful and vigilant especially that La Niña is most likely to bring about heavy precipitations.

Geohazard mapping identifies various geologic features and hazards associated to these geologic features. It also determines possible settlement sites, properties and infrastructures to be affected. It pursues the identification of susceptible areas to floods, landslides, liquefaction and other ground instabilities such as vulnerabilities to earthquakes. — (FREEMAN)