BOLJOON VILLAGE RESIDENTS DISCOURAGED TO RETURN TO HOUSES

A number of families were discouraged to return to their houses in Barangay Lower Becerril, Boljoon after a landslide blocked a portion of the Lusapon River, which may result in a flashflood. The Cebu Provincial Government has sent heavy equipment to remove the blockage. Baltazar Tribunalo Jr., chief of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said the landslide happened last Friday following heavy rain. As of Saturday, the water reportedly reached some 40 meters deep. The usual depth was 15 meters.

Around 11 families living in Barangay Lower Becerril, Boljoon may not be able to return to their homes for a while after a landslide blocked a portion of a river there.

Due to fears that the debris blocking the Lusapon River could collapse and cause a flashflood, the Cebu Provincial Government has sent heavy equipment to slowly remove these.

Baltazar Tribunalo Jr., chief of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), said the landslide reportedly occurred last Friday following a series of heavy rains in the town.

The landslide blocked the river’s flow, making it deeper.

As of last Saturday, the water reportedly reached a depth of 40 meters.

It’s usually only 15 meters deep.

Tribunalo said that because of the incident, more than 30 families living near the river have been affected.

But only 11 families were evacuated because they lived closest to the swollen river.

As of yesterday, the municipal government has not allowed the 11 families to return to their homes.

In a separate interview, Boljoon Mayor Merlou Derama said they have removed some of the debris and this has allowed the stagnant portion to subside.

He hopes the river will return to its normal depth by today if operations to remove the debris will succeed, he added. /