Land cracks alarm residents of Agusan del Norte village

CARMEN, Agusan del Norte ,Philippines  – Hundreds of residents of this town yesterday expressed alarm after huge land cracks were discovered in Barangay Rojales following the 6.9 earthquake that struck Negros Oriental and other parts of the Visayas recently.

Barangay Rojales chairman Ricardo Lauro told The STAR he would seek the help of Agusan del Norte Rep. Maria Angelica Rossdell Amante-Matba for a relocation site, citing the immediate need to evacuate the residents to safer grounds for fear of a possible landslide.

The land cracks, according to the residents, were getting bigger and deeper each day.

Marcos Cubillas and his wife recalled that a stray dog fell into a deep hole caused by the land cracks last Thursday.

“The land cracks found everywhere in our barangay are growing bigger, wider and deeper each day, causing the residents to worry,’’ Lauro said.

He added that barangay officials were constantly monitoring the land cracks.

Lauro also sought the assistance of the Department of Environment and Natural Resour-ces and geologists from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to investigate the land cracks.

He said municipal officials have visited their village and advised residents to evacuate during heavy rains for fear of massive landslides.