SAN Luis Mayor Jayson Sagum has ordered the temporary evacuation of residents along the Sta. Rita dike after a portion of it collapsed Wednesday evening, October 9.
Sagum, who inspected the infrastructure with Fourth District Representative Juan Pablo Bondoc, said the local government is prioritizing the safety of affected residents while monitoring is ongoing.
"I tasked the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to safeguard the residents along the area first while we are still monitoring if the damage will widen," Sagum said in a statement.
Bondoc, in a separate statement, also assured Luiseños, particularly residents of Barangay Sta. Rita where the portion of the riverbank protection collapsed, of assistance needed to rehabilitate the damaged infrastructure.
The dike, which serves as access way to the public elementary school in the village, sagged a few months after it was constructed early this year, said Barangay Sta. Rita Sangguniang Kabataan kagawad Renzo Mata.
The residents suspect that the foundation softened due to a leak from a pipe of the local water service provider.