With the rainy season at hand, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) yesterday announced it has completed the rapid geohazard assessment in the provinces of Leyte and Biliran in Eastern Visayas.

DENR Secretary Angelo T. Reyes said the 35-member MGB geohazard assessment team finished assessing Leyte and Biliran provinces in Eastern Visayas last May 12, particularly barangays located on footslopes, midslopes and mountain ridges.

Geohazard assessment team leader Antonio Apostol said a total of 1,341 barangays of Leyte Province were assessed with the following results:

• 117 barangays have high landslide susceptibility;
• 240 barangays have moderate landslide susceptibility;
• 245 barangays have low landslide susceptibility; and
• 739 barangays are not susceptible to landslide.

Assessment in the 132 barangays in Biliran province also resulted as follows:

• 18 barangays have high landslide susceptibility;
• 45 barangays have moderate landslide susceptibility;
• 34 barangays have low landslide susceptibility; and
• 35 barangays are not susceptible to landslides.

Reyes explained that barangays are said to have high landslide susceptibility if the following are identified: indications of active or recent landslides; presence of numerous and large-tension cracks that would directly affect the community; drainages that are prone to landslides damming; and the presence of steep slopes.

Barangays said to have moderate susceptibility to landslides are those having the following: indications of old landslides, presence of small tension cracks, and the presence of moderate slopes.

Barangays with low susceptibility to landslides have low to gentle sloping and no cracks found in them.

Reyes said the geohazard maps will be distributed to the different barangays after the members of the geohazard team, representatives from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) have conducted an information campaign in the areas on what the residents would do during floods and landslides. (DENR Public Affairs Office)

June 6, 2006