Landslide blocks road in Busay

CEBU, Philippines — Continuous rains last Monday triggered a landslide that blocked a big portion of the main road in Sitio Garahe, Barangay Busay, a mountain barangay in Cebu City.

The road leading to Lantaw Restaurant and Temple of Leah, two landmarks in the area, had to be closed temporarily.

No one was injured in the incident. 

The road was passable as of yesterday but city disaster office chief Nagiel Bañacia said more assessment needed to be made as soil was still eroding.

“Passable man ang area but for safety reasons naa pama’y gradual nga pagdahili sa yuta, so maong naa ang city engineers nato to do the assessment,” Bañacia said yesterday.

Owners of five houses also dismantled their homes voluntarily to avoid getting trapped in another big landslide.

“Mga lima to nagsugod na og dismantle sila sa balay… they voluntarily did it. Naa tay backhoe didto para mapadali,” Bañacia also said.

Barangay Busay had deployed tanods to monitor the area and the situation there to prevent casualties. The city’s Department of Public Services, too, lighted posts.

“Naay mga tanod nagbantay sa transcentral highway aron kung naay debris nga mahulog, dili maigo ang turista,” Bañacia said.

Meanwhile, the City Council is calling on the owners of Mountain View Nature Park, which is located close to the area of the landslide, to demolish a portion of its building that is reportedly a public hazard.

The council made the call through a resolution sponsored by Councilor Jerry Guardo upon the recommendation of the Office of the Building Official (OBO) whose personnel inspected the area.

The council also asked the resort owners to put up sheet piles and construct a retaining wall around the property to avoid further soil erosion.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña has directed the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) to monitor the area closely and for the public to be vigilant, especially now that more rains are expected to fall on Cebu.

Talisay situation

In Talisay City, survivors of a landslide at Urban Poor Zone 3 in Barangay Maghaway are calling on the city government for help.

Queenie Abergido, 20, said the landslide occurred when the riprap just above their house gave in following continuous rains morning on September 22.

Two were injured in the incident – Abergido’s 19-year-old brother, Mar Vincent, and 16-year-old cousin, Kierly Ivy Sormillon.

"Timing sad kaayo kay kung wa pa mi nangmata og sayo, pisat gyud sila ato," she said.

Personnel of the city’s disaster team reportedly went to the area that day and promised to deal with the situation but until yesterday, no help came.

"Paghuman sa hitabo mga udto, niabot and taga city disaster risk reduction management council… niingon man to nga lihokon dayon kay emergency, hangtod karun wala pa man gyud," she said yesterday.

She said last Friday was the fourth time the riprap loosened.

Barangay councilman Ricky Luza said they have been requesting the city government to put up stable ripraps in landslide prone areas in the barangay but no action was taken until now.

Drill

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) conducted a communication drill last Monday to check on the status of the cities and towns following reports of flooding.

PDRRMO Head Baltazar Tribunalo said communication between the province and the local DRRM offices during calamity remains a challenge because there are still offices in towns that do not respond immediately to the provincial office.

“A barangay in Sta. Fe evacuated 48 families due to knee high flood but later returned at the same day since the flood subsided,” the drill report states.

In addition, 16 families were evacuated from Bunakan in Madridejos due to flooding. They were housed overnight at the barangay hall.

Meanwhile, barangays along rivers and creeks in Compostela also experienced flood.

“Naa lay mga balay nga naapektuhan. Murag 5-6 ka barangay ang naapektuhan along the rivers/creeks,” Tribunalo said.

He said it is dangerous when rain lasts for more than an hour for it will surely cause flood in low-lying areas.

As he urged the public to be vigilant, Tribunalo said evacuating high-risk areas is still a better option to ensure safety during calamity.(FREEMAN)