Urges LGUS to be on full alert
By Editha T. Isidro
DAVAO CITY, Feb. 17 (PIA) -- The Mines and Geosciences Bureau-10 (MGB) has reminded the local government units of the region to be alert and be prepared especially in landslide and flood-prone areas.
Local government units in areas that are ranked extremely high in susceptibility to landslide and flooding are advised to immediately relocate the residents of these zones to safer areas.
MGB-10 Regional Director Edilberto Arreza said that in Davao City, certain areas are identified as prone to flooding and areas which are highly susceptible to landslide include Marilog, Paquibato and Calinan District.
A number of barangays in municipalities of New Corella, Santo Tomas, Braulio Dujali, Carmen, Tagum and Panabo are prone to flooding. Most of the areas prone to flooding in Davao del Norte are those in close proximity to rivers and creeks. Said areas in Sto.Tomas are near Libuganon River and Tuganay River which also cause riverbank erosion and scouring to dwelling areas adjacent to riverbanks.
Arreza said areas that are both prone to landslide and flooding are found in the municipality of Talaingod in barangays Palma Gil and Dagohoy. Barangays in the municipalities mentioned are advised to be alert especially during storm and rainy days. Fourteen barangays in Tagum meanwhile, are identified as high in terms of flooding susceptibility.
In Davao del Sur, the municipality of Jose Abad Santos has high incidence of flooding in most of its barangays. Sixteen barangays out of the 23 that was mapped for geo-hazard are frequently flooded. Four of these barangays are also high in terms of flooding. Other hazards identified in this municipality include among others, flashflooding, storm surge, coastal erosion and tidal flooding.
Conversely, the municipalities of Hagonoy, Padada and Sulop, have only few identified areas prone to flooding. Sta Maria, on the other hand, have 12 municipalities out of 22 are landslide prone areas and six of these are either very high or extremely high in landslide vulnerability. Barangays high in flooding are Basiawan, Buca, Pongpong and six others.
Don Marcelino as well have its share of flooding incidence in eight barangays and where flooding are also likely to occur in said areas. This municipality is also landslide prone in Baluntaya, Dalupan and West Lamitan. Malita is equally prone to flooding and flashfloods where 18 of its barangays out of 30 mapped are identified as flood prone areas.
In Davao Oriental, the barangays of San Jose and Sibajay in the municipality of Boston are high in terms of landslide with high possible occurrences of flashfloods. Most of the barangays in Cateel on the other hand, are prone to flooding. Twelve out of sixteen mapped have high flooding occurrences.
In Baganga, barangays Kinablangan, Mikit and Mahanub are high in landslide, especially Mikit due to the presence of old landslide areas located in barangay proper. Baganga has about five areas prone to tidal flooding namely Banao, Lambajon, Salingcomot, Lucod and Saoquegue.
The municipality of Caraga, on the other hand, has mountainous areas that are identified as very high in terms of landslide, also barangay Tubaon in Tarragona especially in sitios Maitum, Madian, Cangusan and Sakulip where the category is very high to extremely high. In cases where category is extremely high, residents are advised to look for safer relocation areas.
Mati has certain barangays namely Mayo, Tagabakid, Danao, Dawan and Macambol that are in danger of mass movements and said areas are identified as extremely susceptible to landslide occurrences mainly because these areas are within the Philippine Fault Zone. Bobon, Tamisan, Lawigan and Dahican are prone to tidal flooding.
Portions of barangays Bitaugan and Sto. Rosario are extremely high to landslide, also San Miguel, Dugmanon and Iba in the municipality of San Isidro. The same is also true for barangays Calapagan and Marayag in Lupon identified as very high in landslide mainly because said areas are within the Philippine Fault Zone. Barangay Punta Linao in Banay Banay is prone to landslide as the area is identified as a mining area. Also in barangays Magdug, Monserrat and Oregon of Governor Generoso where most of the areas are hilly.
In Compostela Valley Province, the municipalities of Compostela, Maco, Maragusan, New Bataan and Pantukan have high incidence in flooding and flashfloods. Areas prone to landslides are Mapaca and San Miguel in the municipality of Compostela, Masara in Maco is very high to landslide while Langgam, Panoraon, Tagbaros, Mainit, Elizalde and Panangan have high ratings in terms of landslide. In Maragusan, most of the areas rated as high in flooding were also identified as areas high in landslide such as Poblacion, Lahi, Tupaz, Cambagang and Bagong Silang.
Mawab is high to landslide in barangays Concepcion, Poblacion and very high in Tuboran. Monkayo, equally is prone to landslide in areas namely Banlag, Baylo, San Isidro and Mt. Diwata. Residents in these areas, especially Mt. Diwata are highly advised to relocate to areas identified as relocation areas. (PIA11)