Residents refuse to leave danger zone

CEBU, Philippines - Despite the warning from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)-7, residents in Barangay Vive, Ronda where a three-kilometer crack in the mountain was reported, refused to leave their houses.

Town councilor Alfredo Villafuerte said they have repeatedly cautioned the residents in the area even before the MGB-7 declared the area a danger zone. However, the residents were adamant to leave their houses and livelihood behind.

“Amo na gyud giingnan na kinahanglan mamalhin na ta kay simbako muhugno ang crack, delikado. But lisod daw lagi mubalhin nya tua ilang balay, mga kahayupan ug umahan (We already told them that it is necessary for them to evacuate because it is dangerous that the crack will collapse, but they said it is difficult for them to leave their houses, livestocks and farms),” Villafuerte said.

The MGB-7 team, which conducted a geological assessment of the crack in the mountain in Barangay Vive, recommended the immediate evacuation of the four families living near the slope of the mountain where the crack was reported.

The families of Ernesto Fuentes, Paulino Langomez, Pableo Pacquera and Cesar Fuentes will be relocated to Langin Elementary School should they heed the warning. Villafuerte said the school buildings in Langin are safe for evacuation because it is located outside the danger zone.

“Gisusi namo ang building, wala man maunsa. Wa sad ma-un-on ang yuta. Layo ra man sad sila sa crack (we have examined the building and there was no damage. The soil did not move and it is far from the crack),” he said.

The MGB-7 has recommended for the evacuation of the 150 families living in Barangay Vive because of the crack in the mountain allegedly caused by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu and Negros Islands last Monday.

Villafuerte, however, said they are still to decide tomorrow whether or not to implement a forced evacuation to ensure the residents’ safety.

The MGB-7 geological assessment report dated March 27, 2010 indicated that the Barangay Vive had evidences of mass movement due to the presence of old and inactive landslides and patchy soil creep and has been categorized as high landslides susceptibility.

The report also stated that hills bounding the northeastern side of the barangay had developed tension cracks and the area is seriously experiencing ground subsidence due to the dissolution of the underlying limestone and development of underground caverns. 

MGB-7 recommended the barangay proper as a permanent danger zone and to avoid settlement at the foot of the slope.  (FREEMAN)