Clearing of Ibid Creek underway.*Romeo Subaldo photo
Massive clearing operations have begun in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, to remove hardened lahar from Ibid Creek in Sitio Tamburong, Brgy. Biak-na-Bato, to prevent further flooding during heavy rains.
A backhoe of the municipal government has started clearing operations, Remuel Lajo, La Castellana information officer, said on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
Two dumptrucks and two backhoes from the Negros Occidental provincial government also arrived in La Castellana and are scheduled to join the effort on Wednesday.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said that heavy equipment from the La Castellana municipal government and the Department of Public Works and Highways have already cleared the road in the area.
Provincial Engineer Ernie Mapa was also sent to survey the site.
The debris will be stockpiled at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources compound within Mt. Kanlaon Negros Natural Park, as it cannot be moved outside the protected area, Diaz said.
The operations come after heavy rainfall on Sunday caused the creek to overflow damaging houses and forcing 76 families, or 265 individuals, to evacuate.
La Castellana Vice Mayor Rhummyla Mangilimutan said that the evacuees stay in evacuation shelters at night for their safety and return to their homes during the day.
The flooding washed down volcanic debris that damaged homes.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported that the Sunday flooding destroyed one house and damaged 12 others in two cities and one town.
Seven houses were damaged in La Castellana, three in Kabankalan City, and two in La Carlota City.
One house was also totally destroyed in La Castellana.
There were 906 families with 3,927 individuals affected by the heavy rains in Kabankalan, La Carlota, Pontevedra, and La Castellana, the PDRRMO also reported.
LANDSLIDE
Bambi Falls in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, has been temporarily closed due to a landslide.
The Binalbagan Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said the continuing soil erosion makes the area unsafe for tourists.
A clearing operation and soil stabilization at a critical slope will be undertaken, it said.*
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