Tumbling down

The accident in  barangay Talamban, Cebu City where two people were crushed to death and 20 were injured in the collapse of a river riprap  dramatized anew the gap between urban development and the growing presence of settlers who make their homes  in the most precarious places.

Barangay officials said the shanty dwellers living within a three-meter easement of the river  were warned long ago to move out.

It’s not only dangerous, it’s illegal to stay that close to the waterway.

Cracks were noticed way before Tuesday night’s collapse of the stone wall.

Residents  didn’t want to move out of the rent-free zone and even called the attention of  barangay officials to have Commonwealth Estate Inc., the developer of the Casa del Rio subdivision, repair the fence.

Just last month, a slope protection wall  of the  Horizons 101 condominium project in Gen. Maxilom Avenue collapsed and damaged at least eight houses.

Fortunately no one was home in the noon time surprise so no one got hurt. The private developer, Taft Property, moved quickly to  evacuate and house the affected neighbors, while they repair the wall over the next 60 days.

Water saturation in the soil was blamed for the collapse.

Both accidents, one by a river, the other in the center of uptown Cebu City, took place in the dead heat of summer.

Can you imagine what could happen when the  rainy season starts in earnest in June?

In Talamban,   light rains had softened the base of the stone fence which  wobbled and fell on top of  shanties. Most ocupants escaped but two didn’t make it alive.

While  city residents endure sweltering heat, cooled by passing rains, it’s not too early to prepare for the onset of rains.

Climate change has promised to bring stronger than usual storms and a bigger volume of rainwater. We’ve been given the wake-up call in two limited accidents.

This should spur the clearing of human settlements by creeks and a thorough check of drainage paths in the city, both natural and manmade.

The effort isn’t just about infrastructure.  Relocating dwellers living in danger zones is a complex process that requires time and consultation.

Warnings and notices to evacuate are not enough if you want to save lives. City Hall could require the subdivision developer in Talamban to reinforce the fence immediately.

Knowing that June’s  opening of classes and the return of the wet season is weeks away, what else can be done with more urgency?

The Office of the Building Official can flex its muscle  to inspect developers and their drainage systems.  Relocation is an underserved priority.

What happened to pledges  of City Hall and the Capitol  to  bring urban settlers back to hometowns in the probinsya to stem the exodus of rural folk to the cities?