In Southern Cebu 2 towns hit by landslides

CEBU, Philippines —  More than P30 million worth of drugs was seized from a delivery rider during a joint anti-drug operation in M. Logarta St., Brgy. Subangdaku, Mandaue City, on Friday night.

The heavy rainfall experienced in some part of Cebu over the weekend has caused landslides in towns in the southern part of the island.

In Dalaguete, a landslide occurred in Sitio Canlawilao, Barangay Dumalan around 6 a.m. yesterday.

The actual incident was captured in a video that was posted by Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante on his Facebook page yesterday.

Amer Espineli, a Dalaguete Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) responder, told The Freeman that there was no casualty of the incident.

He advised, though, that the public should advised not to pass through the area yesterday morning since the clearing operations conducted by the MDRRMO including the Municipal Engineering Office and the Philippine National Police was still ongoing.

In the afternoon, the Dalaguete MDRRMO posted on its social media page that the road was partially passable already.

“Ang dalan kasamtangang gamay lang usa ang maagian (partially passable), nga nagpasabot nga usa ra ka sakyanan ang makalusot sa matag higayon,” it said in its post.

Espineli said that this area had been marked already as a landslide prone area since there were times when there was a downpour of rain, minor landslides happened.

“Actually gi-mark na nga high risk sa landslide diha nga part. Mao na ang pinaka-high risk (for landslide) diha. Sige na mag-landslide…. Sa landslide nga part walay mga nagpuyo pero sa unahan gamay,” he said.

Espineli said the local government unit (LGU) already advised residents living nearby to evacuate because of the dangers and risk whenever there are incidents, like landslide, that occurs there.

In Argao, continuous rain over the weekend also caused a portion of the road connecting Barangays Panadtaran, Catang, and Usmad to collapse yesterday morning.

Joel Orbeta, the Command Center Supervisor of the Argao MDRRMO, said the rain soaked and softened the soil, which continues to shift even as of press time last night.

He said that while no casualties were reported, motorists are advised to use an alternative road, for their safety.

"Walay casualty kay wala may balay dinhang area-ha. Mingaw na siya dinha," Orbeta said.

He advised drivers to take a detour from Usmad to Catang to avoid passing through the affected portion.

"Bahala'g mutuyok basta safety lang....Total naa may safety nga route, i-reroute lang sa sila," said Orbeta.

The landslide area is part of the main road, estimated at 6.8 kilometers from the highway, with Catang and Usmad being the most affected by the landslide.

Orbeta said that early morning yesterday, the soil movement was still minimal, but by 7:14 a.m., the landslide intensified significantly.

He said the landslide occurred because the rain, though light, was continuous and non-stop.

He also said that since the soil is still shifting due to the continuous rain, no one is allowed to enter the area, as of the moment.

“We are still monitoring the status and asking updates from Barangay tanods at the area,” Orbeta said.

In addition, they also called for assistance from the Cebu Electric Cooperative due to the possibility of a coconut tree toppling and hitting the main post of the power line that is located within the area of the shifting soil.

Orbeta also revealed that the road in Barangay Panadtaran had recently undergone road widening, which may have contributed to the disturbed soil easily soaking up water.

"Unya sukad atong pagpadako ato karon pa pod niulan nga dugay niundang," said Orbeta.

He said measures, including placing caution signs and deploying personnel to inform the public that the road is temporarily closed, have already been implemented.

"Kay delikado man gyud. Bahala nalang og adto sila atong tuyok pero safety man sila,” Orbeta said.

On Saturday, Dec. 21, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA) Visayas issued a thunderstorm advisory at 3:22 pm, wherein moderate to heavy rainshowers with lightning and strong winds due to thunderstorms were expected in several areas in Cebu, particularly the towns of Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Argao, Dalaguete, and Badian; and portions of Balamban, Madridejos, Bantayan, and Santa Fe.

Another advisory was released by PAGASA Visayas at 2:25 a.m. yesterday, Dec. 22, stating that Dalaguete, Alegria and portions of Badian were among the areas in the region that would be experiencing moderate to heavy rains, where all were advised to take precautionary measures against the likelihood of flashfloods and landslides.

Then at 5 a.m. yesterday, the state weather bureau released a rainfall advisory wherein the towns of Argao, Moalboal, Badian, Alegria Dalaguete, Boljoon, Alcoy, Malabuyoc, Oslob, Ginatilan, Samboan, Santander, Alcantara, and Ronda were among the areas that would be experiencing light to moderate with at times heavy rains due to the shear line and trough of a tropical depression outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). (CEBU NEWS)