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Tuesday, February 21, 2006
MGB tells residents in 3 Cebu brys. to evacuate
By Linette C. Ramos
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
Following periodic rains in Cebu City, the Mines and Geo-Sciences (MGB) Bureau advised residents of some areas in Barangays Sirao, Malubog and Pung-ol Sibugay to vacate the area for their own safety, until the weather improves.
The hilly areas of the three barangays are among the danger zones identified in the recent geo-hazard mapping of the MGB, its regional director Roger de Dios said.
An ABS-CBN TV Patrol report last night cited Cebu as eighth in the 10 geo-hazard areas across the country identified by the MGB central office.
Critical
In a phone interview, de Dios identified the site of the Sirao Elementary School as a critical area and advised that the school be transferred to safer grounds.
City Councilor Gerardo Carillo said he would recommend the cancellation of classes in Sirao but he has yet to discuss the matter with the mayor and the City Schools Division.
“The three barangays have previously been identified as hazardous areas. We noticed some soil movement there but only a bit. But with the continuous rains and if the weather worsens, the movement could speed up and there’s a big possibility it would cause a landslide,” de Dios warned.
But Mayor Tomas Osmeña disagrees. Although Sirao is an unstable area, the mayor said it is not a danger zone since the houses and other structures are not situated below the hills.
“Busay is more dangerous, Busay is very dangerous. Sirao is unstable but it’s not dangerous because it’s not like the soil is up there and the houses are down there. There could be a high degree of damage but not dangerous because when you say danger it’s a risk to people’s lives,” he told a news conference yesterday.
Aside from those living in the three upland barangays, de Dios also advised residents of flood-prone areas such as those along the riverbeds to temporarily vacate their homes, including those residing near the Guadalupe river.
He advised the residents to be more cautious, and monitor soil movement in their areas. MBG personnel already taught them how to monitor soil movement and other precautionary measures, he said.
Experience
De Dios added that the people in Sirao should learn from their experience in 1996 when a portion of Sirao Elementary School was buried when rocks and soil in the nearby hills gave in.
He asked the residents to look for signs of soil movement, including cracks in the ground, rocks that fall from the hills and over-saturation of the soil, which in turn could result in flooding.
“We’re advising the residents in the area that if they have a place they can transfer to in the meantime, they might as well vacate their residence just to be safe,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
De Dios also advised commuters to be more cautious when passing by the Transcentral Highway, especially at night.
He said there are already signs that portions of the highway may give in if the weather condition worsens, such as the fractured rock formation around the embankment of the road.
Some portions of the Sibugay barangay road also gave in last week, he said.
“The Transcentral Highway is still passable but labing maayo kung dili una sila muagi didto especially if ting-uwan ug kanang magabii (It’s best if commuters don’t use the road, especially during rainy weather or at night),” he said.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 21, 2006 issue)
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