• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A mountain slope has collapsed at Camp Valdez in Barangay Mambaroto, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, which recently experienced a series of minor earthquakes.
The incident was reported after personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways discovered cracks on the ground on Oct. 15.
Dionelo Bogtae, coordinator of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), said the cracks were 80 meters long and about 2.6 feet wide, with a depth of three meters, based on the initial survey of the City Engineering and Surveying Office.
The CDRRMO sought the assistance of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau for a comprehensive assessment of the collapsed mountain slope.
Bogtae raised the possibility that the ground cracks may have been triggered by the recent magnitude 5.1 earthquake that hit Iloilo City, which also experienced in Sipalay City.
The series of earthquakes in the southern Negros city, which are tectonic in origin, are caused by movements in the Negros Trench, said Teresito Bacolcol, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
After receiving reports of individuals entering the cordoned area of the collapsed mountain slope, Bogtae reminded the public to refrain from doing so since the place is unstable and landslides may occur anytime.
He appealed to residents in the high risk area to remain calm and vigilant and urged motorists and travelers passing the area to be alert at all times for possible occurrence of landslide. | GB
