CEBU CITY – Philippine authorities warned villagers to stay away near sinkholes after a 20-meter swallow hole was discovered on Bantayan Island off Cebu.
The sinkhole, about 40 meters deep, was discovered at Sitio Dapdap in the village of Langub near Kinatarkan in Santa Fe and residents in the area had been told to take extra precaution. Authorities have cordoned off the area because of the dangers it posed to the locals.
Al Berador, chief geologist of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Mines and Geosciences Bureau in the Visayas, said the area is not safe among the residents. He said his group is monitoring the sinkhole.
Loreto Alburo, the regional director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Mines and Geosciences Bureau, the collapse of the cave roof in the area resulted to the formation of a sinkhole and may have been trigged by the intense and prolonged precipitation brought about by Typhoon Glenda.
“We will be identifying a possible relocation site within the islet where these affected communities will be able to live safer and continue to live normally without fear on the geological hazards like sinkholes,” Alburo said.
Locals have reported cracks in the village as early as July 26 after noticing a slight sloping ground in Sitio Dapdap. More than 100 families have already evacuated to safer grounds and some were sheltered at the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Sinkholes are common where the rock below the land surface is limestone, carbonate rock, salt beds, or rocks that can naturally be dissolved by groundwater circulating through them. As the rock dissolves, spaces and caverns develop underground.
Sinkholes are dramatic because the land usually stays intact for a while until the underground spaces just get too big. If there is not enough support for the land above the spaces then a sudden collapse of the land surface can occur. These collapses can be small or they can be huge and can occur where a house or road is on top. (With a report from Eddie Llamedo)
20