Rains in Cebu as Ronda folks told to leave homes

MONDAY night’s rainfall caused flash floods in low-lying parts of Cebu City and brought 39.2 millimeters of rain.

But this was still low for the average forecast rainfall for January, February and March of 50 mm, said Pagasa-Mactan weather analyst Al Alcazar.

Metro Cebu will experience moderate to heavy rain—about five hours during the day and three hours in the evening, he said, due to the La Niña and a low pressure area 820 kilometers east of  Mindanao.

The  Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas  (DENR-7) repeated its  call for the evacuation of the rest of 60 families in two mountain sites in barangay Vive, Ronda town, southwest Cebu.

Evacuating “is now a call for the local officials,” said Eddie Llamedo,  DENR spokesman.

The declaration of barangay Vive in Ronda as a “no-habitation zone” is the third time government geologists warned the southwest Cebu town officials that the site was  prone to landslides.

Forecasters earlier warned that a minor La Niña pattern in the first quarter of the year would peak in February and March.

Alcazar said Monday’s heavy downpour was caused by the easterly winds, which carried  thick clouds and was intensified by a low pressure area 820 kilometers east of  Mindanao.

Last Monday, Pagasa recorded a 40.2 mm volume of rainfall within 24 hours.   Light to moderate rains bring less than 60 mm of water in  24 hours.

The LPA is  820 kilometers  east of Mindanao and will bring cloudy skies with scattered rains  over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

In Ronda town, geo-hazard maps have warned that barangay Vive is very critical since 2010.

Families in 10 houses hit by a 6.9-magnitude landslide last Feb. 6 are now temporarily housed in the barangay hall.

“The mayor has exerted efforts to follow the recommendations. It’s now a judgment call for local officials and residents,” Llamedo said.

A new landslide threat advisory was issued last Feb. 10.

Results of the DENR assessment were given to Ronda Municipal Engineer Oscar Pilapil and the barangay captain.

Ground cracks stretch about 440 meters along the ridge northeast to southeast, said senior geologists Maria Elena S. Lupo and Josephine T. Aleta in their initial assessment.

They said the area should be carefully observed for saturated ground and ground movements.

“The largest vertical displacement is roughly 25 meters from the ridge top with horizontal displacement of 15 meters,” their report said.

In 2010, MGB-7 already recommended that the barangay proper was a permanent danger zone and that habitats at the foot of the slope should be avoided.

In 1996, the agency recommended relocating Langin National High School and barangay residents. This is the third time the barangay was warned it was prone to landslides.

Llamedo said the DENR can only warn the populace but has no authority to force the community to move out.

“We don’t have the resources to carry out our recommendations. What we can provide is technical assistance through geohazard assessment,” he said.