THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is calling on the public and local government units in Southern Mindanao to be ready for possible landslides and flashfloods.
DENR-Southern Mindanao Director Jim Sampulna said that since 2007, the agency's Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB) had already recommended to local government units (LGUs) that appropriate warning signages be installed in landslide-prone areas and in affected major roads to keep the general public on guard in the event that landslide will occur or recur.
"Those who are in the different mining areas in the region should also be observant and vigilant this time because continuous rain will loosen the soil and may result to unexpected landslide which can damage lives and properties," Sampulna said.
It can be recalled that a geo-hazard mapping conducted by a team of experts from MGB in 2007 found out that a total of 94 barangays in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental are either highly susceptible or moderately susceptible to landslide.
MGB data also showed that out of the total 183 barangays in Davao Oriental, 67 barangays are classified to be moderately to highly susceptible to landslides.
For Compostela Valley, there are 43 barangays classified as landslide-prone areas, 21 of which are identified to be highly susceptible to landslide while 24 barangays are identified to be moderately susceptible.
In Davao del Sur, there are 31 barangays classified as landslide-prone areas, nine of which are identified to be highly susceptible to landslide while 22 are identified to be moderately susceptible to landslide.
Recent study also disclosed that some parts of Marilog District and Matina Shrine Hills, Davao City are either moderately or highly susceptible to the calamity.
Way back in 2007, MGB had already conducted series of geohazard technical conference with the local executives in the region and it was already informed of the said findings, as well as the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC). (BOT)