Village in Ronda declared ‘no habitation zone’

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

THE Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Central Visayas (MGB) 7 has recommended the evacuation of Barangay Vive in Ronda town in southwestern Cebu.

The recommendation was issued after a team of geologists conducted a site assessment in Barangay Vive following a 6.9 magnitude earthquake that struck the Visayas region last week.

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The team composed of senior geologists Maria Elena Lupo and Josephine Aleta recommended that the affected village be declared a “no habitation zone” after they classified the area as “very critical for landslide susceptibility.”

In compliance with the MGB 7 recommendation, Ronda Mayor Mariano “Nonie” Blanco said he has ordered the evacuation of five affected families in Barangay Vive.

He agreed, though, that farmers will be allowed to visit their land during daytime as long as they return to their relatives’ homes at nighttime.

Barangay Vive topped the list of towns Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia will visit today.

Relief goods

In a press conference yesterday, Garcia said she will distribute relief goods to the area, as recommended by the Provincial Social Welfare Office.

Governor Garcia, who said she will spend Valentine’s Day with her constituents in the province, will also be in Dumanjug, Barili and Carcar.

She said her out-of-town visits every Feb. 14 have become a tradition, which she started seven years ago when she became governor.

The governor yesterday showed a copy of her full schedule today. She will also distribute life and crop insurance cards to farmers, as well as banana suckers for planting.

Mayor Blanco hopes to speak to the governor today, if her schedule permits, and ask for assistance in terms of housing materials that he intends to distribute to the affected families in Barangay Vive.

The MGB 7 geologists noted the “remobilization” or recurrence of landslide near old ground cracks on the mountain slope, north of the barangay center.

Observation

They also recommended the continued observation of saturated ground or seeps and sunken or displaced surfaces, and the monitoring of mass movements, such as landslides and tension cracks.

The ground in the affected area has subsided due to the dissolution of marly limestone or anapog, characterized by fine grains or broken pieces.

This type of limestone becomes easily saturated given the amount of rainfall,
especially within the school grounds of Langin National High School.

Initial assessment revealed that ground cracks extend an approximate length of 440 aerial meters along the ridge, trending northeast-southeast. The largest vertical ground displacement is roughly 25 meters from the ridge top with horizontal displacement of 15 meters.

A landslide threat advisory was issued last Feb. 10 on the assessment results, which were received by Ronda Municipal Engineer Oscar Pilapil and Barangay Councilor Julito Bucog, addressed to Barangay Captain Canuto Sabio.

Extra vigilance

MGB 7 Director Loreto Alburo warned communities living near or at the foot of the mountain slopes to exercise extra care and vigilance, as many geohazards are rain-induced and earthquake-related.

“MGB constantly recommends strict and continuous implementation of the recommendations by the residents of the barangay proper to be immediately moved to safer grounds,” he added.

The agency has issued warnings in the past on the vulnerability of the site to geohazards.

In 2010, the agency recommended that the barangay proper be declared a permanent danger zone and to prevent settlement at the foot of the slope.

In 1996, the MGB 7 recommended to the local government units the relocation of Langin National High School and barangay residents.