ALMOST two weeks after a landslide in the only active open-pit mine of Carmen Copper Corp. (CCC) in Toledo City killed four workers and left six others missing, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Central Visayas (MGB 7) has yet to disclose the cause of the incident.
Heart Rizarri, MGB 7 information officer, said in a message to SunStar Cebu on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, that the investigation on the Dec. 21 landslide incident was still ongoing.
She said further study will also be conducted before the MGB 7 can give its recommendation to the Toledo City Government on the fate of 400 families living near the site.
The families have been evacuated. Whether they will be allowed to return to their homes largely depends on the recommendations of MGB 7.
"There will be further georesistivity study/survey that will be done by experts from MGB central office," she said, without specifying the
schedule.
A georesistivity survey involves the use of a resistivity-meter to determine the nature of the earth materials beneath the surface.
Rizarri said monitoring of the cracks observed at 360 meters away from the nearest community in Hill 3, Brgy. Biga, Toledo City is ongoing.
She said MGB 7 Director Armando Malicse has declined to comment on the statements made by Biga Barangay Captain Pedro Sepada Jr.
Sepada had said that before the landslide at the Carmen Pit, barangay officials held an emergency consultative meeting on Nov. 26 with representatives of the CCC and MGB 7 as well as Biga residents to discuss possible measures to be undertaken after the cracks were sighted.
However, he alleged that neither MGB 7 nor CCC was able to present a concrete response to ensure the residents' safety. Their representatives merely said the area remained safe.
MGB 7 has already ordered the suspension of the Carmen Pit operations.
In a post on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, the Toledo City Government said Malicse visited the office of Toledo City Mayor Marjorie "Joie" Perales to give updates on their actions regarding the landslide incident.
Perales has reportedly assured that the City Government is ready to assist and cooperate with MGB 7.
Toledo City public information officer John Roseller Layan could not be reached for further details about the meeting.
Search and retrieval operations to locate the six missing workers are still ongoing. (WBS)