CEBU, Philippines — The sudden downpour yesterday resulted in a landslide in two upland barangays in Cebu City, affecting several families.
Harold Alcontin, who heads the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO), in an interview with The FREEMAN, said the first reported incident was at Sitio Cambilog, Barangay Guba at around 2:42 p.m.
One house was affected by the landslide in Guba.
Ten minutes later, the CCDRRMO received another call about a landslide – this time at Sitio Tabok, Barangay Pit-os.
Both barangays are considered landslide-prone areas.
Pit-os’ disaster brigade team leader Jun Genery Famador, in a separate interview, said that three houses were affected by the landslide. Two were partially damaged and one totally damaged.
Famador added that the riprap wall of a private housing project collapsed resulting in a landslide and damaged the shanties below it.
The said shanties are situated along the three-meter easement.
Famador said at least nine individuals, including two minors, were affected in the landslide. All are safe except for one who got injured after being hit by a stone from the riprap that collapsed.
“Naay injured usa. Nadakdakan siya sa bato pagkatumpag sa riprap. Nakabangon siya unya nakadagan, mao toy tag-iya sa balay nga natumpag,” said Famador.
The affected families of both Guba and Pit-os were offered temporary shelter in their respective barangays but opted to stay with their relatives.
The city’s Quick Response Team has cordoned off the area of the landslide.
The Cebu City government has been clearing rivers and has asked residents living along the three-meter easement to move.
The city is looking at building medium-rise buildings for those that will be affected by the recovery of the three meter-easement.
Aside from keeping residents safe, the recovery of the three-meter easement is meant to revive the dead city rivers while also solving the city’s problem of massive flooding. — Sanden Anadia, GAN (FREEMAN)