Record rainfall blamed for massive landslides

BAGUIO CITY – Heavy rains spawned by typhoon “Ineng” last week led to numerous massive landslides which also claimed several fatalities, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported yesterday.

PAGASA said Baguio City and Benguet province had 721.6 millimeters rainfall in four days from August 20 to 23.

“We are thankful the rain from typhoon “Ineng” did not last too long. Had it been like the rain during typhoon “Egay” which lasted several days, there could have been more landslides,” Wilson Lucando, weather observer of PAGASA-Cordillera said.

He said the record high 1,393 millimeters of rain triggered by typhoon ‘Egay’ last month softened the soil in many part of the region and contributed to the landslides at the height of the fury of “Ineng.”

He cited a major landslide in Camp 7 along Kennon Road last July 13 that killed two persons and damaged about a significant stretch of the road. Another landslide struck the area on August 22 and damaged a bigger, longer stretch of the road.

Earlier reports said that the mountain on this portion of the Kennon road already showed cracks last month.

Lacundo called on residents in the vicinity of mountain slopes to immediately evacuate to safer areas during typhoons and torrential rains.

Data from the Office of the Civil Defense-Cordillera showed eight landslides in Benguet and in Mt.Province due to ‘Ineng’ which led to the death of 17 persons.

In Sitio Elizabeth, Barangay Taneg, Mankayan, Benguet, a landslide last August 22 buried several houses and at least 11 residents who remain unaccounted for.