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Thursday, September 11, 2008
'Twas a close call for Maco slide rescuers
DAVAO CITY -- Rescuers in the first Compostela Valley town landslide on September 6 nearly became victims themselves after a second slide struck their area of operation.
Major Roland Rodil of the Army's 25th Infantry Battalion said they were at the Masara School that served as evacuation center when the second slide happened around 3 a.m. of September 7.
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"Everyone was jolted by a rumbling sound followed by what seemed to be a violent earthquake. The second landslide hit, crashing into houses situated near the evacuation center, including the barangay captain's house, which was totally wiped out. All scrambled to get out and headed for the gym. The evacuation center was now cut off, with little supplies, medicines, and medical supplies," wrote Rodil in his report submitted to his superiors.
Had the rescuers decided to keep on working that night, they would have been covered by the much bigger second landslide. Barangay captain Jovencio Anquera was sleeping inside his house when the second slide struck and he was buried to death along with his children.
Here's the incident's chronology of events based on the report submitted by Major Rodil:
September 6
3:45 p.m.: The first landslide occurred, sending tons of mud, water, and debris tumbling down the slopes and crossing over the river and the road before eventually thrashing at least 18 houses along its path. Among the first to respond were miners and staff of Apex Mining Company who immediately worked on rescuing several trapped victims and recovering dead bodies.
4:30 p.m.: Upon being informed of the incident, Major Rolando Rodil immediately dispatched his troops led by First Lieutenant Caliva, company commander of Alpha Company, and Second Lieutenant Dennis Araiz, platoon leader, who were then conducting combat operations in Maco at that time.
6:30 p.m.: By evening, he and another team of 25 Infantry Battalion (IB) soldiers also arrived at the scene and started to assess the situation, gathering information from barangay captain Jovencio Anquera and the resident manager of Apex, Ferdie Agustin. The three decided that retrieval operations should be stopped. Policemen from the Maco Philippine National Police (PNP) Station and the 1107th PMG also arrived to help in the rescue and recovery efforts.
7:30 p.m.: Local government unit (LGU) officials from Maco and Compostela Valley started arriving, led by PSWDO and PDCC. An incident Command Center is immediately organized and a Command Center set up at the Masara Elementary School and gym. The school and the Catholic chapel were used as an evacuation center, housing around 70 families affected by the first landslide.
11 p.m.: Some LGU officials - the Maco MLGOO, Menro - as well as a Red Cross team led by Redentor Cardinal are left with the Army and PNP personnel to man the Command Center. Major Rodil takes over to temporarily head the team after the other LGU officials decide to leave to get supplies needed by the Command Center.
September 7
Midnight: Heavy rains start to pour. After making the rounds of the area and moving the residents to the evacuation centers, the team decides to rest for the night. Dinner was served 2 a.m. The barangay captain remains with the team until then. Major Rodil orders all vehicles on the road to move to the next Barangay Mainit.
3:30 a.m.: Everyone was jolted by a rumbling sound followed by what seemed to be a violent earthquake. The second landslide hits, crashing into houses situated near the evacuation center, including the barangay captain's house, which was totally wiped out. All scramble to get out and headed for the gym. The evacuation center was now cut off, with little supplies, medicines and medical supplies. Victims start pouring into the Command Center, converted into a first aid station. Army troops, policemen and Apex miners start rescuing victims. The Command Center sets up a backup communications net since the Globe cell site was down. A team was sent to Barangay Teresa some five kilometers away with mobile phone and HH radio in hand to get and relay instructions from the incident site. Rodil requests for a chopper to evacuate the severely injured.
6:00 a.m.: The extent of the damage slowly becomes apparent though skies were still not clear and cloud ceiling low. A light rain pours again and small landslides can be seen tumbling down scaring people again.
7:00 a.m.: After an assessment of the area with Ferdie Agustin of Apex, and with at least 11 injured victims needing immediate evacuation, Major Rodil and the team decide that the best option was to evacuate to lower and safer grounds, particularly in Barangay Elizalde some 10 kilometers away.
7:30 a.m.: A miner reports to the team that a footpath was found and could be used in going down to the boundary with Barangay Mainit. The command group decides to send a team to check it out. After confirming as viable though risky (there was a portion that would have to cut across some damaged houses) the most injured victims were sent down first. The team was now faced with a decision whether to use that route to evacuate the people out in as much as the evacuation center itself was not as safe anymore as previously thought. The team asks people to pray and seek Divine intervention. When the weather began to clear, Major Rodil finally orders the evacuation, which was (to the barangay officials' and peoples' credit) orderly and efficient. All injured victims as well as the dead are safely evacuated.
9:30 a.m.: All who could be evacuated are now in Barangay Mainit. The Maco LGU sends transport to ferry the evacuees to Barangay Elizalde.
10:00 a.m.: A helicopter from the 505th Rescue Squadron of the PAF (Philippine Air Force) lands at Apex with OCD 11 officials and PDI correspondent Dennis Jay Santos who were then escorted by Major Rodil around the site. Maco LGU officials led by Mayor Voltaire Rimando arrived to inspect the site.
11:30 a.m.: The chopper leaves. OCD officials opt to stay and meet with the team.
2:30 p.m.: The team along with media men and the Maco LGU officials go down to the evacuation area at Barangay Elizalde and meet to discuss subsequent courses of action.
September 8, 2008. On or about 1000H, the personnel from Camp Panacan station Hospital arrived. Likewise at about 1700H the Army 534th engineers arrived.
As of September 10, 20 people are confirmed dead, 29 injured and six still missing. A total of 83 houses were damaged by the twin landslides. (BOT/Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Dumaguete. (September 11, 2008 issue)
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