SADANGA, Mountain Province – Twenty-three persons living in five households in Sitio Tatabra-an, Barangay Sacasacan here have been evacuated as the area continues to sink following the magnitude-7 earthquake last July 27.
The area started moving last August 4 and subsidence and ground cracking appeared on August 5.
The Sadanga Municipal Social Welfare and Development said that the land is gradually sinking every day and five concrete houses are totally inhabitable and four granaries have been damaged while the rest are critically affected.
A road in the area is impassable because the concrete has cracked and lifted off the ground.
Officials of Barangay Sacasacan declared a state of calamity Friday, August 5, to prepare for eventualities.
The Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDANA), which consists of personnel from the Municipal Engineering Office, Municipal Health Office (MHO), Municipal Plans and Development Office, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO), Municipal Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO), and Sadanga Municipal Police Station, is conducting monitoring and assessment of the area.
Affected families have been moved to a safe place.
Six other households with 25 families may be affected and have been told to be alert and evacuate the area as well.
Two public facilities were damaged due to soil cracking – the Fokong irrigation system (Filig section) and the Poblacion water system (Abeo, Tap-ag, and Sangey water source).
It is still unclear if the cracking and subsidence of the ground measuring one meter was caused by the earthquake.
Barangay officials and residents have called on the provincial government to act to enable the Mines and Geosciences Bureau can check the area if it is still suitable for living.