Monitor land cracks, relocate residents

SIERRA-BULLONES, BOHOL, Philippines  – Continuing ground movements have caused land cracks in some areas of this town recently prompting the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the DENR-Region 7 to order a regular monitoring and recommend the immediate relocation of residents in the affected barangays.

In a copy of MGB’s five-page incident report on landslide and land cracks e-mailed to The FREEMAN, the MGB said: “It is necessary that residents of sitio Danao in Brgy. Magsaysay be relocated for their long-term safety. Regular monitoring of the area should also be continued. This would help determine if the landslide/land cracking event is still active and whether the affected area is getting bigger or not.”

Earlier, Mayor Alfredo Gamalo said in a cell phone interview that his administration is doing everything for the residents’ safety but some, if not most of those affected by the land subsidence, were hard-headed. At least four hinterland barangays  Magsaysay, Dusita, Danicop and Abachaman and still counting  are initially considered as vulnerable to cracks occurring recently.

At least 23 houses were already affected by what MGB called “several tension cracks” at Brgy. Magsaysay, which has an elevation of about 500 meters above sea level.

The Day Care Center of nearby barangay Dusita, with an elevation of 400 meters, has been abandoned due to “intense development of cracks on its floor and walls,” said the MGB. “The Daycare Center has already been abandoned due to intense development of the cracks on its floors and walls,” in barangay Dusita said the report.

MGB, which conducted the inspection and study of the cracks, warned that continuous land movement “would eventually lead to the collapse of the houses endangering the occupants.” Farmlands nearby would not be spared from the cracks, it added.

In a separate interview, MGB officer-in-charge chief Emil Berador said there was a house made of concrete but its cemented wall already bore cracks across, but the owner was vent on finishing its construction. He echoed the observation of some town officials here that the subsidence began to develop during the first week of last February after days of heavy rain.

The MGB report explained that rainwater “directly percolate into the ground behind the retaining structure and could increase pore water pressure. The cracks indicated that the ground has moved, and the movement was still active and will continue to move especially during periods of heavy rainfall.” It also bared that the affected areas in this barangay (Magsaysay) “has high rating for rain-induced landslides,” based on the geohazard survey conducted in 2007.

The report further indicated that about 10 houses near the bridge linking barangays Abachanan and Dusita could be vulnerable to the “land displacement” which is “likely to continue” when or during downpour. Among the recommendations of the MGB included identification of evacuation or relocation safer sites and formulation of a long-term solution of the identified hazardous areas.

The agency advised the residents to act now while it’s not yet too late for their long-term safety considering PAGASA’s prediction that it would be rainy days this coming summer that will be “above the normal average.”

MGB also recommended for the checking of drainage systems, such as creeks, rivers, in the affected areas because the cracks are triggered by presence of excess water. It will be recalled that similar occurrence of land cracks cut across about two kilometers of farmlands in the mountain Brgy. Bugsoc during recent years. (FREEMAN)