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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Visayas devider Sinkhole feared as cracks appear on mountain

Sinkhole feared as cracks appear on mountain

Published Oct 24, 2025 04:53 pm
CRACKS on a mountain slope could potentially lead to a sinkhole in Camp Valdez, Barangay Mambaroto, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental. (LGU of Sipalay)
CRACKS on a mountain slope could potentially lead to a sinkhole in Camp Valdez, Barangay Mambaroto, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental. (LGU of Sipalay)
BACOLOD CITY – Experts said that cracks on a mountain in Camp Valdez, Barangay Mambaroto, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, could develop into a sinkhole.
Authorities are keeping a close watch on these fissures following a recent landslide.
Executive Assistant Dionilo Bogtae, head of the Public Safety and Sipalay Emergency Assistance and Rescue Services (SEARS), said the cracks measure about three meters deep, three feet wide, and 80 centimeters long.
These were recently discovered by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) workers during maintenance operations.
Bogtae said that markers and monitoring devices are now in place to detect further movement or erosion.
According to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), an initial assessment by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau–Negros Island Region (MGB-NIR) found out that the cracks resulted from ground subsidence.
The area is composed mainly of coarse limestone formations.
While no households have been directly affected, authorities have urged motorists to be cautious, as the affected slope is adjacent to a national road.
The public has been advised to avoid the unstable area due to the risk of additional landslides.
MGB-NIR Director Benigno Cesar Espejo said in a phone interview that light vehicles may still pass the area for now.
He said that the ground movement may have been triggered by heavy rainfall or ground shaking, both of which accelerate the natural dissolution of limestone.
For safety, the national road at KM167+400 leading to Camp Valdez will be closed to all vehicles on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., to allow MGB to conduct a Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) scan and Geo-Resistivity Test to assess the slope’s stability.
Authorities appealed for public understanding and cooperation and stressed that these tests are essential for safety. Investigations into the cause of the ground cracks are ongoing.
Sipalay City lies near the Negros Trench and frequently experiences seismic activity. The city was hit by a magnitude-5.1 earthquake on Oct. 7.

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