Dangling house halts plugging of sinkhole

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—A race to plug a sinkhole in the mining town of Itogon in Benguet province was suspended because of new danger posed by a dangling house, according to the provincial engineer.

The void opened in October last year during a typhoon, swallowing seven houses atop a hill.

Another house near the precipice is about to plunge, forcing workers to cut short refilling and a stone walling project to stabilize the hillside, said Rene Tabdi, provincial engineer, adding that they cannot risk the safety of workers.

The provincial government financed the project to rehabilitate the area, which was declared a part of a danger zone before torrential rains widened and deepened the hole.

Government engineers discarded the option of blasting the house because it may worsen the instability of the area.

WORK to plug this sinkhole in the village of Virac in Itogon town, Benguet province, has been suspended. RICHARD BALONGLONG / Inquirer Northern Luzon

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau had concluded that rainwater dumped by Typhoon “Lando” last year had penetrated underground pocket crevices that had eroded, causing the surface to collapse and create a 20-meter wide pit.

“All we can do is wait and let nature take its course,” Tabdi said.

The construction of the retaining wall would cost up to P4 million and would be undertaken in two phases.

Tabdi said the Benguet engineering office was tasked to build the wall and to rehabilitate a road that was destroyed by the sinkhole.

Residents of Sitio Kamangan in Barangay Virac have been provided a relocation site by a mining company operating in the area.

Tabdi said it would take 2,000 cubic meters of soil, rock and silt to fill the sinkhole. The materials would come from the Ambalanga River and debris from a road widening project near the area.  Kimberlie Quitasol, Inquirer Northern Luzon