At height of downpour: Landslide kills two

CEBU, Philippines — An old man and a young woman died when a landslide hit their homes in Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City at the height of the downpour last Thursday night.

The victims were identified as Elpedio Geraga, 64, and Juvelyn Sanipa, 31.

“Both died as the eroded soil and bamboo trunks covered some portions of their respective houses. It took nearly four hours to retrieve the two bodies for the situation was still critical. The soil was not yet stable,” reads the Facebook post of Nagiel Bañacia, head of the city’s disaster team.

Personnel of the disaster team and volunteers from the barangay, among others, helped retrieve the bodies. 

The landslide occurred nearly 9 p.m.  Geraga’s son, Reynaldo, who works in a restaurant, said it was already too late when he arrived home. He asked the city to help rehabilitate their area.

"Ang amoa lang nga matabangan mi nila unya matarong gani ang lugar namo diri, malimpyo ang mga kawayan kay murag mas ganahan sad mi mobalik og puyo diri kay mas nindot sad diri sa siyudad kaysa bukid kay hasol," he said.

The responders also rescued six other families – eight adults and 12 children – in the area. They are taking shelter temporarily at the barangay hall and were given packed meals and other relief goods.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the city will give P20,000 each to the families affected and a separate P10,000 burial assistance each to the families of Geraga and Sanipa.

Bañacia said the area has been identified as landslide, flood, and fire prone.

Weather

Weather Specialist Alice Canasa of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in Mactan said the heavy rain last Thursday peaked late in the afternoon and was concentrated mostly in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue.

Canasa said the isolated rains over Metro Cebu are caused by thunderstorms that formed due to "trough" or extension of a Low Pressure Area spotted on Thursday afternoon hovering over the seas near the Mindanao region.

She said the presence of an LPA also caused the strength of the Southwest monsoon (or Habagat) to escalate, bringing rains in the western sections of the country.

Engineer Alfredo Quiblat, Jr., officer-in-charge of PAGASA-Cebu, said there is no data on the actual amount of rainfall in Cebu City and Mandaue since a measuring instrument is not available either of the two owing to elevated structures like buildings.

PAGASA is keeping an eye on an approaching weather disturbance, which is seen to intensify. It has moved upward tracking the area near northern Samar yesterday afternoon.

An LPA is described as a rain-causing weather system that is characterized by cloudiness and rainshower; it is an atmospheric area with the lowest pressure where tropical cyclones, locally known as "bagyo," may develop.

Warning

At the Capitol, provincial disaster officer Baltazar Tribunalo, Jr. urged those living in areas identified as landslide and flood prone should evacuate.

"Mao na atong hangyo sa mga tawo nga di lang moingon nga mo-evacuate… kung puwede, mo-relocate gyud ta," Tribunalo said.

He said those living near rivers should also transfer to safer ground so they will not be hit by ravaging waters during heavy rains.

"Didto sa Tuburan, Asturias, Balamban Toledo, Pinamungahan, ari pud ka dapit sa may Mananga river in Talisay City), sa Argao, kining mga lugar nga delikado kaayo, diri dapit sa may Consolacion, diha dapit sa Danao, Carmen, dili gyud sila mo kumpyansa diha. Dapat, mohawa na gyud sila sa mga tagsa-tagsa ka lugar," Tribunalo said.

He said residents in these areas should not return to their homes immediately after heavy rains because the ground would still be soft and occurrence of landslides would be high.

"Ang landslide man gud, ang mahitabo ana, mo-saturate, mobasa na ang tibuok yuta ba unya mo-settle down labi na kung naay pagpadayon nga paglihok sa yuta kanang mga small earthquakes ba and seismic movements, mao gyud nay hinugndan," Tribunalo said.

He said it is usually the barangay personnel that responds to emergencies in their jurisdiction, as these personnel have also undergone training, but the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) is also on standby.

"We always coordinate with the Local Disaster Rosk-Reduction Management Office (LDRRMO) buy just in case nga ingun ana, puwede ra gyud ta (mo-respond). Ready ra gyud ta," Tribunalo said. (FREEMAN)