Landslides threat still up in Naga and Talisay

Another landslide occurred in barangay Campo 4, Talisay City, the fourth since last Saturday, endangering 65 families in the area who don’t want to evacuate.

In Naga City, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau declared a “no habitation zone” within 150 meters around a the site where a boulder crushed to death a couple sleeping in their shanty last August 4.

The landslide in the uplands of Talisay City occurred past 5 p.m. last Wednesday as rains fell.

Despite warnings to evacuate, residents refused to leave their homes.

No one was reported injured.

The contractor of the road widening project, QM Construction, was able to clear a portion of the road which can only accommodate passenger-motorcycles or habal-habal, at 6 p.m.

“Vehicles were stranded here. There were so many people, it was like fiesta. They were only able to pass the road after two hours, said Campo 4 barangay captain Luciano Cabingatan Jr. in Cebuano.

Four-wheel vehicles could barely pass the area, he said.

When Cebu Daily News visited the area yesterday, Boy Wagas, 42, was gathering sand from the landslide debris.

Wagas and his family lives in a shanty about 50 meters away from the road hit by the landslide.

“Layo ra. Di ra ko mahadlok.” Wagas told Cebu Daily News.

(Our house is quite far [from the landslide]. I am not afraid.)

TRAFFIC ADVISORY

Motorists are advised to avoid the old Manipis road in going to Toledo City because of the series of landslides that hit barangay Campo 4.

Talisay City administrator Arturo Bas Jr. said most motorists from Cebu City prefer the Manipis road to cut travel distance by more than 10 kilometers to Toledo City compared to the Naga-Uling Road.

But after the landslides in Campo 4, Naga-Uling road is a better alternative.

He said another landslide hit the barangay at 4 pm on Wednesday, making the the Manipis road impassable.

Rocks and soil covered a 50-meter stretch.

Heavy rains in the past two days aside from road widening project may have loosened soil in the excavated portion and caused the landslide.

No habitation

Meanwhile, a no habitation zone within a 150 meter radius was declared around the house where a boulder smashed a house and killed a couple sleeping next t to their children.

The children were unharmed.

The trail leading to barangay Inayagan, the next barangay from the landslide-stricken sitio Pangilatan, barangay Cantao-an, Naga City, was also advised closed by Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).

Warning signs must also be set up in the area.

Senior geologist Abraham “Jun” Lucero made these recommendations after a site inspection on Wednesday.

Barangay officials were given a landslide threat advisory.

Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong will meet with barangay captains of Inayagan and Cantao-an to discuss this.

“I read in the news that MGB did a site inspection and that these areas are prone to landslide. I will meet with the two barangay captains,” Chiong told Cebu Daily News./Reporter Rhea Ruth V. Rosell, Correspondents Jessa J. Agua, Jhunnex Napallacan and Gabriel C. Bonjoc