CEBU CITY–Residents in a barangay in Bogo City, northern Cebu were advised to take extreme caution after a sinkhole that was recently discovered in the area continued to expand.
Following an inspection, scientists from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Central Visayas (MGB-7) classified the sinkhole in Sitio Indilicio, Purok Libog 1, Barangay Guadalupe as a “high-risk ground collapse area.”
MGB-7 warned that the presence of the sinkhole could result in further ground collapse.
As additional safety precaution, the agency recommended a wider off-limits area around the site.
The city government was advised to establish and strictly enforce a no-entry buffer zone of at least 20 meters from the sinkhole’s rim.
A controlled-access zone extending at least 50 meters from the sinkhole was also proposed to ward off onlookers.
MGB-7 warned that allowing people to gather near the site could add surface load and vibration to already unstable ground.
The sinkhole was discovered last Aug. 20.
In its initial inspection, the MGB-7 identified the geological formation as a cover collapse sinkhole measuring roughly 15 meters by 25 meters.
The sinkhole expanded to about two meters between Aug. 22 and 23.