39 villages in 2 Negros Oriental towns ‘landslide-prone’

Monday, February 13, 2012

THE Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in Central Visayas identified 39 villages in La Libertad and Guihulngan towns in Negros Oriental as landslide-prone following an inspection last February 7.

The agency also noted an artificial dam, or building up of water in two sites along Tinayunan River in Barangay Tinayunan Beach in Guihulngan City, prompting the MGB to recommend evacuation of residents downstream of the river as the artificial dams may collapse.

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MGB-Central Visayas Director Loreto Alburo said of the villages identified to be landslide-prone, barangays Humayhumay, Imelda, Mabunga, Sandayao, and Tacpao are highly susceptible to landslide, while Barangay Binobohan has “moderate to high susceptibility” to it.

In Guihulngan, 11 villages -- Bakid, Banwaque, Calamba, Calupa-an, Linantuyan, Mabunga, Maniak, Plagatasanon, Planas, Trinidad, and Villegas -- have moderate susceptibility to landslide.

The MGB identified nine in La Libertad town as highly susceptible. These include barangays Aniniaw, Aya, Biga-a, Guihob, Kansumandig, Mambutod, Managondong, Pangca, and Pitogo.

Barangay Mandapaton has moderate to high susceptibility to landslide, while barangays Manluminsag, Busilak, Cantopa, Elecia (Talostos), Eli, Manghulyawon, Martilo, Nasungon, San Jose, Solongon, and Tala-on have moderate susceptibility to landslide.

Alburo urged local government officials to revisit the geo-hazards threat advisory that MGB distributed to them in 2009.

“Although it was a rain-induced assessment, we are seeing now a similar occurrence in an earthquake-induced landslides or ground failure,” he said.

The towns of La Libertad and Guihulngan were among the areas badly-hit by the magnitude-6.9 earthquake that struck Negros and Cebu islands last February 6. More than 40 people were confirmed dead; some of them were victims of landslide triggered by the quake in Guihulngan. (PIA/Sunnex)