Field assessment of geologic hazards in Reg. 6 completed
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 6 has already completed its field assessment of geologic hazards in Western Visayas, with quadrangle maps distributed to all congressional districts.
MGB OIC Director Rene de la Cruz said the quadrangle maps indicate the hazards existing in an area and to what extent are they rated.
De la Cruz said they have assessed a total of 133 municipalities in the six provinces, consisting of 4,054 barangays, with 570 at high risk of landslides, flooding and earthquake, 535 moderately at risk and 689 at low risk and the rest not at risk.
De la Cruz said the province of Iloilo has the highest number of high and moderately at risk municipalities.
Municipalities that are categorized highly susceptible are these with recent occurrences of landslides and presence of tension cracks, steep slopes and slopes that retain much water that can overflow during heavy rains.
He said that each municipality at risk has been issued advisory threat so that the local officials can prepare their areas, start looking for alternative areas for urgent relocation and not wait to do it when already hit by calamities.
“Likewise, the geohazard maps and the advisory threats issued to the local government units are planning and management tools and can challenge the local officials on how well they can respond to disaster risk reduction,” De la Cruz said.
A detailed geohazard mapping will be undertaken with high risk areas next year.
De la Cruz said the geologic hazard mapping and assessment program of the MGB also impacts on mineral characterization and exploration, groundwater assessment and geo-environmental evaluation of landfill sites.*PIA6
