2 more geo-hazardous sites found in Kalinga

BAGUIO CITY — Government geologists have identified two new places in Kalinga facing geological hazards.

The government-run Philippine Information Agency (PIA) said the Cordillera office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), which conducted a weeklong rapid field assessment on geo-hazardous areas in Kalinga during the first week of May, identified Sitio Pinagan in Barangay Lucog, Tabuk town as prone to landslides as evidenced by "tension cracks."

Senior science research specialist Porfirio Pascua Jr. and senior geologist Emmanuel del Rosario, who composed the MGB field assessment team, said Purok Linglingay in Barangay Bulanao Norte was also found prone to landslides, mostly on steep and cut slopes.

The MGB-Cordillera has been assessing seven geo-hazardous areas across Kalinga as part of the ongoing nationwide geo-hazard mapping ordered by President Arroyo following the Feb. 17 killer mudslide that buried Barangay Guinsaugon in Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte, killing more than thousand people.

The assessment results on the five other sites, including flood-prone barangays in the Tabuk quadrangle, were not immediately available.

Meanwhile, residents of Barangays Kimatan and Bangad in Lubuagan and Pasil towns, respectively, have been advised to evacuate based on the results of an earlier geo-hazard assessment.

During post-assessment consultations in these barangays, the residents were urged to be ready for any slope failures that may endanger their lives and properties.

As mitigating measures, Porfirio and Del Rosario recommended downgrading the unstable slopes by cutting them into a series of small and low benches, and the construction of a competent retaining wall to arrest potential slides as well as catchment dams at the foot of the slopes to prevent eroded soil from directly hitting the houses below.

They further recommended that surface runoffs in the two barangays be diverted, and that ground seepages on the critical slopes be drained.

They also advised the residents to monitor the critical slopes during heavy rainfall and undertake appropriate action.

Engineer Ricardo Dang-iw, chief of the Kalinga Environment Bureau, told the residents to immediately evacuate if they observe any signs of ground movement during a prolonged downpour.

Dang-iw asked the barangay officials to submit to disaster coordinating councils proposals to mitigate the geo-hazard threats for possible funding from the disaster fund released by the Department of Budget and Management and assistance from the Japanese government.