BUHISAN RESIDENTS AT RISK/OCT. 20, 2018: Becuase of the large crack seen on the top right of the mountain in Barangay Buhisan barangay officials offered relocation sites 300 residents who were at risk but they continue to ignore to leave the mountain. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Central Visayas (MGB-7) calls for the immediate evacuation of dozens of residents living right below the slopes and on the riverbank of Kinalumsan River in Barangay Buhisan, Cebu City.
According to MGB-7, the recommendation to evacuate residents of Sitio Sandayong has been the same for five years since 2013; but it has remained unimplemented.
“We already recommended for evacuation of the residents since five years ago. It remains, our recommendation did not change,” Marian Codilla, MGB-7 spokesperson, told Cebu Daily News.
The MGB-7 recommended the evacuation in 2013 following the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck the provinces of Cebu and Bohol.
The agency identified the area in Sitio Sandayong as one of the danger zones that was at risk to landslides as large cracks began to appear on the village’s slopes after the quake.
Codilla said that since the area remains identified as a danger zone, their recommendation remains the same.
“The landscape did not change in Sitio Sandayong. So the situation is still risky and the vulnerability of the community and the mountain is still there,” said Codilla.
There are at least 30 houses or 300 individuals living in that area.
Earlier, the Cebu City government said that they will implement a forced evacuation once the MGB-7 reassessed the situation.
Codilla said that while the bureau will reassess Sitio Sandayong today, Monday, their recommendation will remain the same.
“Even if there is no reassessment our recommendation for evacuation remains the same,” said Codilla.
“We hope the local government unit would really implement what has been recommended way back in 2013 because the danger is still there,” added Codilla.