ITOGON, Benguet – Over 200 families in this mining town fled their homes due to landslides caused by incessant rains.
A LANDSLIDE blocks the road in Poblacion, Itogon, Benguet.
Cyril Batcagan, head of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), asked miners to temporarily stop any mining activities while bad weather continues.
He reminded residents, especially those living in landslide-prone areas, to double-check and evacuate immediately if necessary to avoid any tragedy.
Barangay Captain Flordeliza Depayso in Sitio Goldfield, Barangay Poblacion, said 15 families were affected after a large part of a mountain collapsed.
Depayso said assessment and monitoring are ongoing and the number of affected could increase.
One house was buried by collapsed soil. No one was reported injured because residents evacuated before the incident.
Depayso said it may take a month to open the blocked
road due to the amount of soil.
Batcagan said they are looking into the possibility of alternative routes. However, they cannot recommend a route yet because other roads in the town are also affected by landslides and rockslides.
He added that they are investigating if the landslides are related to mining although no mining operations are present in the affected part of the barangay.
In Camp 3, Acupan, Virac, Itogon, 213 families or 866 individuals evacuated after 15 houses were destroyed due to landslides.
Concerned agencies assured that assistance will continue to be provided to affected families.