CEBU, Philippines - A small shanty was destroyed following a landslide at 12:30 a.m. yesterday in Sitio Lower Caduldulan, Barangay Lawaan III, Talisay City.
Except for some bruises sustained by the father of the family living in the shanty, no one else was injured.
Lawaan III Barangay Captain Delia Ybañez said the house was occupied by the Mahinay couple and their two children. It was the father who was hit by falling portions of the house as he was the last to leave.
The injury was minor, according to Ybañez.
She said seven other families living nearby were also evacuated and are now sheltered with relatives. But Ybañez said the barangay hall and the nearby public schools are open for them in case they have no other place to go.
She also said they will coordinate with the city government for the relocation of the eight affected families. The city social welfare is set to assess the situation of the families for aid.
Ybañez said the affected area is temporarily off-limits to residents as the soil from the hilly part appears to be unstable following continuous rain.
Yesterday’s incident was the second landslide in Talisay City this month. The other night, a good portion of the national road in Sitio Tigib, Barangay Lawaan, was impassable for four hours after soil and boulders from an upland quarry site rolled down following heavy rains.
Meanwhile, Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 regional executive director Maximo Dichoso yesterday urged local chief executives to use the geohazard maps and implement the appropriate measures as indicated in the geohazards threat advisory to reduce the impact of landslides and flooding within their areas of responsibility.
“Areas which have been declared as ‘highly susceptible’ to flooding and landslides by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau should be carefully monitored by the local government officials,” Alburo said.
The MGB already identified over 70 barangays in Cebu Province as prone to landslides and flooding.
Of the 12 barangays most prone to flooding, seven are found in Mandaue City and the remaining five are in Cebu City.
The seven barangays in Mandaue City are Subangdaku, Mantuyong, Umapad, Opao, Alang-alang, Guizo and Paknaan and the five barangays in Cebu City are Kasambagan, Kinasang-an, Labangon, Mabolo and Bonbon.
Other areas prone to landslides and flooding are 19 barangays in Cebu City, six barangays in Naga City, five barangays in Toledo City, all mountain barangays of Talisay City and 31 other barangays from the different towns in the province.
Meanwhile, MGB-7 is set to conduct a field investigation this week in Barangay Angilan, Duero, Bohol as the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Council reported today a ground cracking and active slide in Sitio Laca.
The DENR-7 has provided local government units a list of the disaster-prone areas for them to draft proactive measures to reduce the risk of any calamity, and to conduct close monitoring on these identified risk areas as more typhoons are expected to enter the country based on PAGASA reports.
The MGB said features that might be observed before a major land sliding and flooding include springs, seeps, or saturated ground in areas that have not typically been wet before; new cracks or unusual bulges in the ground, street pavements or sidewalks; and soil moving away from foundations.
Ancillary structures such as decks and patios tilting or moving relative to the main house; and tilting or cracking of concrete floors and foundations are some of the indications.
Broken water lines and other underground utilities; and leaning telephone poles, trees, retaining walls or fences must also be noticed. (FREEMAN)