Police encouraging people in Davao City to take mitigation measures for areas susceptible to landslides

Miami
October 13, 2008
Story: Police encouraging people in Davao City to take mitigation measures for areas susceptible to landslides

Residents in Davao City has been warned by authorities to take mitigation measures to prevent loss of lives and damage to their own property due to possible landslides.

Based on the memo submitted by Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau XI (MGB XI) to Chief Supt. Andres Caro, Chairman of Regional (Region 11) Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) and Police Regional Director of Region 11, 23 barangays in Davao City are considered as ‘’extremely high’’ and ‘’very high’’ when it comes to landslide susceptibility.

“A total of three hundred twenty (320) barangays in the Davao Region have been identified as moderate, high, very high or extremely highly susceptible to landslides. The MGB’s list showed that 23 areas in the provinces of Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley are in the very high or extremely high category,” Chief Inspector Querubin Manalang, Region 11 police regional office spokesperson, said.

Manalang also said that in two weeks time now, they are experiencing heavy rains from time to time, that is why they are now informing the residents to take good care.

Manalang added, Caro stressed that mitigation measures like settlement relocation for “highly” and “very highly” susceptible areas; monitoring of soil movements for all susceptible areas and integration of geo-hazard assessment in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) should be undertaken by the concerned Disaster Coordinating Council and LGUs to address the problem.

Areas in Davao Oriental that are identified to be of great risk are Barangays San Pedro and Sobrecarey in Caraga (town); Tubaon in Tarragona (town); Mayo, Danao, Dawan, Mamali and Macambol in the City of Mati; Bitaugan in San Isidro (town); Calapagan in Lupon (town); and Punta Linao in Banaybanay (town).

In Compostela Valley Province, the barangays that are in “very high” risk are Libaylibay, New Leyte, Panaraon, New Barili, Masara, Tagbaros, Elizalde, and Panangan in Maco town; Tuburan in Mawab; Mt. Diwata in Monkayo; and Canidkid and New Cebulan in Montevista.

The only one that was identified to be “extremely high” in landslide susceptibility is Barangay Mamali in the City of Mati.