Tuesday, November 27, 2007 Compostela mayor airs jitters over landslide threat
COMPOSTELA Mayor Ritchie Wagas plans to convene members of the municipal council and the newly elected barangay officials to discuss the results of the assessment of landslide or flood-prone barangays in the northern Cebu town.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 made the assessment.
DENR Acting Regional Director Roger de Dios sent Wagas a letter last Aug. 28 stating that 14 of its 17 barangays are susceptible to landslide. Eight barangays were also affected by flooding.
Wagas said that newly elected barangay officials will take their oaths of office today. He will then schedule a meeting with them along with the municipal disaster coordinating council after the ceremony.
Wagas admitted that he was nervous with the assessment considering that the country is in the middle of a typhoon season.
De Dios wrote in the letter that of the 14 landslide-prone barangays, one has a high susceptibility rating; six, moderate; three, low to moderate; while four have low susceptibility.
A high susceptibility rating was given to Barangay Lupa because it sits on a steep slope and its drainage is prone to landslide damming. The barangay also has numerous and large tension cracks.
DENR recommended that the barangay and the municipality monitor the progress of mass movement in Sitios Lupa Proper and Montenegro.
Rated moderately susceptible to landslides are Barangays Cabadiangan, Cogon, Tubigan, Panangban, Bagalnga, and Tag-ube.
Barangays Can-amucan, Cambayog and Mulao had a rating of low to moderate susceptibility while rated low are Barangays Basak, Tamiao, Buluang and Dapdap.
The agency also stated that officials should develop an early warning device.
Eight barangays are in coastal areas. Of the number, three were rated highly susceptible to flooding. These are Barangays Estaca, Poblacion and Magay.
DENR suggests the provision of adequate exit points for floodwater or surface runoff.
Rated moderately susceptible are Barangays Magay, Tamiao and Buluang.
Barangays Basak, Dapdap and Mulao got a rating of low susceptibility.
Wagas said Compostela has two rivers-Cotcot and Gimbal-Basak.
“It should be noted that ratings were arrived at (during) the field assessment.
Rating could advance as mass movement progresses. Hence, strict and continuous monitoring by the barangays is recommended,” read the DENR report.
De Dios also noted that information-education campaign materials like posters and video compact discs were given away to barangay officials to educate their constituents.
The DENR 7 report was conducted from April 23-24 and May 7-11 as part of the agency’s geo-hazard mapping in the region involving 25 municipalities.
The assessment team is composed of geologists Josephine Aleta and Maria Elena Lupo. (JGA)
