A two-year-old girl died after being pinned to death when a rockslide struck a community in Catbalogan City, Samar, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31.
A report from the OCD said that several days of light to moderate rainfall in Samar province weakened a slope nearby Sitio Mahaba in Barangay Basiao which triggered a rockslide last Dec. 29.
The incident buried two houses and injured three people: a three-month-old infant, a 35-year-old man, and a 30-year-old woman.
The OCD also directed the Catbalogan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) to advise nearby households in the area to temporarily evacuate to safer grounds as search and rescue operation for possible casualties was ongoing.
“In response to the incident, the Office of Civil Defense Eastern Visayas (OCD-8) has mobilized to provide hygiene and family kits to the affected family,” the agency said.
The OCD also coordinated with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the issuance of a memorandum order, urging local government units (LGUs) to conduct preemptive evacuations in susceptible areas and take appropriate actions in response to the ongoing weather systems.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that the combined effects of shear line, the trough of Tropical Depression “Romina”, and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) might bring rains to some parts of the country, including Visayas.
“As the community deals with the aftermath of this tragedy, authorities are emphasizing the need for vigilance and preparedness in the face of natural hazards, urging residents to remain alert to potential risks associated with ongoing weather conditions,” the OCD said.