Quake damaged Ormoc’s protected forest

TACLOBAN CITY – The 6.5-magnitude earthquake that struck Leyte and other parts of the region last July 6 has damaged Lake Danao Natural Park in Ormoc City, one of the Eastern Visayas’ seven areas under the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) Act of 1992, a report from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional office said Monday.

DENR Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca said the earthquake caused numerous landslides in Mt. Banao and other parts of the 2,193-hectare protected area, including Barangays Lake Danao and Milagro. It damaged forests and disturbed the biodiversity and the wildlife habitat.

Sibbaluca said that based on lakeshore markings, the water level of Lake Danao, which is a major water source of the Leyte Metropolitan Water District supplying water to Tacloban and other towns in Leyte, receded by about one meter.

He said the geologists who conducted a geo-hazard assessment in the area found cracks in the mountainsides that could lead to more landslides if triggered by heavy rains or another strong quake.

There are efforts to protect the unique and fragile ecosystem of Lake Danao which is home to a diverse plant and animal species.

One measure is to relocate the protected area occupants to lessen the impact of man’s activities on the environment affected by the earthquake.

“The aftereffects of the earthquake that jolted the protected area not only threaten its rich biodiversity. It also puts the lives and properties of the residents in the area at risk,” Sibbaluca said.