River diverted from sinkhole

CEBU, Philippines - Excavation works have started to divert the flow of water in Mantayupan River away from the sinkhole and back to the falls, the rice fields and the fish ponds.

Barili Mayor Teresito Mariñas said that using a backhoe, they started excavating three to four-meter deep and about four-meter wide canal where the water can detour temporarily until they can seal the sinkhole.

They plan to make a 30 to 40-meter detour channel that originates 15 meters before the sinkhole going left of the river.

Mariñas said that they have secured the consent of the property owner to make the temporary diversion channel to prevent a bigger problem that the drying up of the river and the falls will cause their rice fields and fish ponds.

“Wala man sad mi’y naigo nga structure. Naa’y gamay na shrubs, but generally, wala’y naapektuhan sa paghimo og diversion,” Mariñas said.

The mayor said the excavation will finish either today or tomorrow.

Once the flow of water is diverted and the part of the river where the sinkhole occurred dries up, the local government will seal the sinkhole with steel plates and cement.

Mariñas said that the sinkhole caused the water to drain into an underground river or cavern, which escapes to another opening near the falls.

The local government of Barili needs to restore the falls because a hydro plant depends on it to operate and the LGU benefits from its proceeds as a tourist destination.

Mariñas said that it might take a month to seal the sinkhole. Until then, the water will continue to be diverted.

The Mantayupan Falls is still open to tourists but until the falls is restored, they are not charging for entrance fees. A tourist pays P10 as entrance fee.

Mariñas said that he will ask the Municipal Council to approve Barili’s Risk Reduction Program so they can use the calamity fund for the works to be done to restore the river to its normal state.

The town will need about P200,000 for the sealing and creation of the detour channel.

The sinkhole was discovered by the residents last week. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau explained that the movement must have been triggered by the February 6 earthquake that rocked Negros. Another possible reason is the heavy rainfall. — /JPM (FREEMAN)