Photo of the landslide affected area in Sitio Upper Cantipla in Barangay Sudlon II, Cebu City. | Photo courtesy of Councilor Jerry Guardo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Central Visayas (MGB-7) has recommended the transfer of residents away from the landslide-affected area in Sitio Upper Cantipla, in Barangay Sudlon II, Cebu City.
MGB-7’s recommendation was contained in a landslide threat advisory that it sent to Barangay Captain Priscillo Alborez on Tuesday, June 27.
Following MGB-7’s recommendation, Cebu City Councilor Jerry Guardo, the chairperson of the Committee on Infrastructure of the Cebu City Council, said he would recommend to the barangay officials the declaration of a “no build zone” there.
At least 10 homes were damaged by a landslide that occurred along a road that leads to Sudlon II proper on Monday, June 26.
Luckily, no one was hurt since residents in the area were already evacuated to a safe place before loose soil started to fall.
MGB-7 said the landslide was caused by several factors. These include “the slope or general terrain of the area, the geology, which is underlain by weathered and fractured volcanic rocks that form daylighting, and heavy precipitation experienced in the area last June 24.”
Cebu City Councilor Jerry Guardo inspect the landslide-affected area in Sitio Upper Cantipla in Barangay Sudlon II. | Photo courtesy of Jerry Guardo
The agency said that the landslide-affected area in Sitio Upper Cantipla now has a very steep to almost vertical slope which makes it “highly susceptible” to the occurrence of another landslide in the days to come.
Using its findings as basis, MGB-7 has recommended to the city government and the barangay officials the immediate evacuation of residents, who live within the landslide-affected area and it’s immediate vicinity, every time when there is a weather disturbance.
MGB-7 has also recommended a total evacuation of the area as a long term plan to ensure the safety of its occupants.
In a separate interview, Guardo said that the area was not meant for the construction of concrete structures.
“Ang mga balay nga gipangtukod karon, mga light materials lang kay during the construction, paghimo sa dalan, ang kaning mga yuta diri are actually back filling material. So, pagtukod nilag balay, light [materials] lang, okay pa to maka-resist pa, but gitukuran naman nila’g [concrete] structures. Heavy naman kaayo, so dili kaayo strong iyang foundation,” he said.
Guardo said that for now, the affected residents are staying with their relatives who live within the same barangay.
“Ang gi offer nga relocation site sa city o sa barangay kay layo-layo man kuno sa ilaha. They prefer initially nga magpuyo sa ilang silingan lang sa una, but I think we have to declare it as a no build zone,” he added.
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