LOPEZ, Quezon – The Sangguniang Barangay of Matinik here has declared a state of calamity after a ground rupture affected 15 houses and displaced around 51 families or 124 individuals on Sunday.
The Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Committee said that two classrooms at Matinik Elementary School were partially damaged.
A HOUSE sustains heavy damage after the ground ruptured in Lopez, Quezon on Dec. 14. (FB)
Power supply was cut in affected houses, the railroad is impassable, and the road to Barangay Hondagua is also impassable to heavy vehicles.
Police and a standby response team have been deployed to the area to evacuate affected residents, secure roads and control traffic, and restrict access to the danger zone.
The Department of Public Works and Highways Fourth District Engineering Office has conducted an integrity assessment of the provincial road.
The local government unit headed by Mayor Rachel Ubana has provided initial food and water support to displaced residents and inspected affected area.
Police said a landslide blocked the road near Matinik Elementary School leading to Barangay Hondagua, this town, and affected residential areas near the railroad at 11 p.m. on Saturday.
Judy Cabildo, a resident, said they were sleeping when the earth moved. They rushed out of their houses and saw the earth rising and concrete houses topple and sustain cracks.
Residents evacuated to the barangay hall that was unaffected and spent the night there.