"Landslides hit city brgys after days of heavy rains"

CEBU, Philippines —  Landslides continue to strike Cebu City due to rain, with a family of six in Barangay Capitol Site as the newest residents affected.

The family, who includes two senior citizens, had to be evacuated Tuesday night in Sitio Ipil-ipil after continuous rain and flooding damaged a riprap and threatened their house.

It came the same night that eight persons were finally rescued after hours of being trapped under the Forbes Bridge at the end portion of Colon Street where they built their shanties.

Capitol Site Barangay Councilor Kelly Quijada told The Freeman that barangay responders, together with Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) personnel, already cordoned off the area in Sitio Ipil-ipil and that an assessment is ongoing.

“Gi-cordon sa namo ang area kay daghan kaayong nahitabo. Naghuwat pa sad mi sa ilang inspection…. Amo sang gi-cordon ang area wala sa namo pasudli,” he said.

Responders also advised motorists to take alternative routes, for their safety.

Quijada said they only allowed one house member to get their things from their house this morning. The affected residents are currently sheltering at the Sitio Ipil-ipil chapel.

Quijada hoped that the situation would not worsen to prevent more damage of the riprap.

“Kaning mga balaya dili ra dikit kaayo pero kung magsige'g baha naay possibility na mu collapse sad tong adjacent na riprap,” he said.

Aside in Capitol Site, a landslide also occurred in Sitio Kabarang, Barangay Sapangdaku yesterday, as shared by Ramil Ayuman, one of Mayor Mike Rama’s special assistants.

In the past three days, sitios Baksan,  Lupa, and Napo, in Sapangdaku also experienced landslides.

CCDRMO also reported that two landslides occurred last Tuesday in barangays Babag 1  and  Busay.

Five days ago, the CCDRMO also evacuated four families in Barangay Buhisan following a landside in Sitio Langub. The affected families were brought to the barangay hall for temporary shelter.

In the Forbes Bridge incident, the eight trapped persons were rescued at around 7 p.m. Tuesday nights, hours after rising waters prevented them from leaving their homes.

The call for help came at 5:35 p.m., with units from the Bureau of Fire Protection-7, CCDRRMO, and Pasil and Ermita barangay rescue volunteers, among others, responding.

The rescuers, though, could not do anything yet when they arrived because of the raging waters.

“Ang means nila nga mosulod ug gawas ana nga bridge kay gi-utilize as puy-anan, so kailangan sila i-rescue kung mokusog pa ang uwan sa mga upland barangays, kay mokusog og baha sa sapa,” said Inspector Jemar Mesiona, BFP-7 Cebu City operations chief.