Mt. Diwalwal under tight watch for landslides

DAVAO CITY — Authories here are tightly watching the gold rush site in Mt. Diwalwal, Monkayo, Compostela Valley and other mining areas in Southern Mindanao for possible landslides, especially with the continuous rains in the region for the past few weeks.

"We have been monitoring developments in Mt. Diwalwal as well as in the adjacent town of Pantukan because of the heavy rains and these areas are known to be prone to landslides," Office of the Civil Defense Region XI chief Carmelito Lupo told The STAR.

Mt. Diwalwal has been known for landslides that claimed thousands of lives in the past. The more than 40,000 residents of Mt. Diwalwal, who are all into small-scale mining, actually live in shanties that stand on unstable grounds made of boulders.

Thousands of small-scale miners have also been eking out a living in the town of Pantukan, following reports of ore deposits in the area.

Lupo said contingency measures have been put in place should there be a need for those in the mining sites to be evacuated.

Residents of a village in the town in Taragona, Davao Oriental were also advised to flee their area for fear that a landslide might take place similar to the recent tragedy that struck St. Bernard town.

"We advised people to leave Sitio Ugbok in Barangay Tubaon in Taragona because of the rotational slide that we have noticed," Desiderio Cabanlit of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) told The STAR yesterday.

Land cracks have been noted in the surfaces of Barangay Tubaon, forcing authorities to order the evacuation of the more than 168 families living in the area.

These cracks were also observed to have deepened, prompting authorities to speed-up the relocation.

The houses of at least 88 families in the said barangay were already up for dismantling. "In the meantime, we are looking for a place safe enough for these people to relocate to," Cabanlit said.

"No one is allowed in the area at night, especially since the cracks have been observed to continue to move," Lupo said.

Taragona is four and a half hours from Davao City while Barangay Tubaon is said to be a one-hour ride from the town center.

Precautionary measures in Lanao

Meanwhile, residents in Linamon town, Lanao del Norte hightened precautionary measures due to continous rainfall.

On Feb. 21, 1999, flashfloods hit the coastal barangays of Napo killing 23 people with two others missing, Municpal Social Welfare Officer Luz Cal Patalinghog told The STAR in an interview.

Patalinghug relates that seven years ago, the Larapan river had overflown due to continous heavy downpour. Rains reportedly fell in Sito Tingin-Tingin that triggered the devastating flashflood.

The other barangays affected were Lapayan Kawit Oriental and Kawit Occidental in the municipality of Kauswagan where the concrete bridge collapsed.

Linamon town Mayor Cherlito Macas had directed the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office headed by Fely Tuzon to monitor rainfall and the areas prone to possible flashflood.

Linamon town has fully implemented an environment rehabilitation program and has been named a model local government unit in integrated solid waste management. — With Richel Umel