10 hectares in Gaas, Balamban to be ‘no man’s land’
PORTIONs of the landslide-prone mountain barangay of Gaas in Balamban town isn’t safe for homes.
After two weeks of rainfall caused cracks in the slopes, the regional office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) recommended declaring a 10-hectare area there a no-habitation zone.
The Balamban municipal government evacuated 246 persons in Gaas last Monday when tension cracks were noted in the mountains.
Gaas barangay captain William Genel said rain has fallen non-stop for the past 14 days.
Cebu has been experiencing excessive rainfall.
Al Quiblat, weather specialist at Pagasa, said they recorded 182.6 millimeters of rain in Mactan from January 1-20 compared to a normal level of 105 millimeters.
This volume of water can cause flooding in areas with poor drainage system and landslides, he said.
A team from the MGB-7 that went to Gaas yesterday said there was imminent danger of landslides as the ground was soaked with water.
The cracks were also observed to have impounded water, said Ed Llamedo, spokesman of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7).
Llamedo said they asked Balamban to declare a 10-hectare area in barangay Gaas a no-habitation zone.
As early as 2011, the MGB had classified the mountain villages in barangay Gaas as highly susceptible to landslides.
Students and residents near Gaas Elementary School were transferred to Gaas High School and the barangay hall, after the MGB found the grade school site highly prone to a landslide.
CANSUMUROY
Barangay Cansumuroy where part of the Transcentral Highway passes is also highly prone to landslides based on the MGB’s geo-hazard map.
Sustained rains for days, the mixed volcanic rock composition of the ground and steep slopes, usually cause landslides, said Llamedo.
“We agreed to be evacuated because it is no longer safe in the area. We must not put ourselves at risk,” said Christina Lopez, a resident.
Another crack in the ground was discovered in the elementary school on Tuesday. Classes there were suspended on Monday due to the cold weather and heavy rains
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