Leyte forest landslides rise in quake-hit areas

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — An increase in the number of landslides at the forested mountain areas in Leyte since these were hit by a 6.5-magnitude earthquake on July 6, this year, according to a report of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Region 8 this week.

Carlito Tuballa, DENR-8 assistant regional director for technical services, told The Freeman the landslides have been rising in frequency, and the series of aftershocks have caused more damages to the mountain ranges along the Ormoc-Kananga-Burauen-Jaro-Carigara areas, which incidentally are the habitat of the Philippine Eagle.

Motorists, traveling along the Maharlika Highway, and the people around these areas, said that after quake in July, five landslides were visible from the road, along the towns of Sta. Fe, Alang-alang, and Jaro.

On the first week of November, however, they observed that the number of landslide-scarred mountainsides in the area has already reached to about a hundred, all visible from the highway.

Tuballa explained that the series of landslides observed in the mountain ranges were caused by the aftershocks and the accumulation of water in cracked areas.

Geologists who conducted geohazard assessments in the area have discovered that numerous cracks were also found on the mountainsides, aside from the landslides. They added that the volcanic soil condition there is actually prone to landslides, Tuballa also said.

The cracks on the mountain ranges that were inflicted by the earthquake and its aftershocks further increased the risks of landslides with rains occurring in the area almost every day, Tuballa added. (FREEMAN)