THE Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Mitigation and Management Council (CCDRRMMC) has declared the 2.5-hectare radius of the landslide site in Sitio Garahe in Barangay Busay and five hectares in Sitio Gilagila in Barangay Bonbon as danger zones.
This, after the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Central Visayas (MGB 7) inspected the area on Monday, October 31, 2022.
Fourteen families in Busay and 40 families in Bonbon have been ordered to evacuate immediately and transfer either to the barangays’ public schools or sports complexes.
The Office of the Mayor has ordered barangay tanods, the police and members of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) to implement the order.
According to Gerry Carillo, Mayor Michael Rama’s special assistant, residents will be able to return to their homes if the soil test result shows that the area is no longer in danger of another landslide.
In the meantime, the mayor has banned heavy equipment and six-wheel vehicles and higher from the affected areas.
Raquel Bohol-Arce, Cebu City Transportation Office head, said they already erected signs in both barangays and assigned traffic enforcers to direct motorists.
Last Saturday’s landslide in Sitio Garahe was one of many landslide that occurred as a result of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng, which dumped rains in Cebu for several days.
Landslides were also reported in Barangays Binaliw, Sudlon, Sinsin, Agsungot and Sirao, rendering the roads impassable by vehicles, while the road in Ayala Heights collapsed.
Agsungot Barangay Captain Peter Dumaolao has asked the City Government to send heavy equipment so they can clear the roads in the barangay.
Meanwhile, the CCDRRMO is also monitoring Sitio Upper Mahiga in Barangay Banilad as it is also prone to landslide.
In January 2017, a heavy downpour caused soil to loosen along the road in Sitio Garahe. Slabs of cement fell on nine parked public utility vehicles after a retaining wall along Roosevelt Drive collapsed.
Back then, the MGB 7 had declared that Busay was included in its geohazard map of areas vulnerable to landslide. (PAC)