CATASTROPHE. Mudflow is seen in a village in Baybay City, Leyte in this April 11, 2022 photo after the onslaught of Tropical Depression Agaton. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau will update the geohazard map of areas in Leyte highly susceptible to landslides.(Photo courtesy of Rep. Carl Cari) TACLOBAN CITY - The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) will come up with updated geohazard maps for areas highly vulnerable to landslides in Leyte, an official said on Tuesday. MGB Eastern Visayas Regional Director Carlos Tayag said in a phone interview that he asked MGB geologists to update maps, especially in areas where there are requests from local government units. "We cannot make updated maps in all areas. We will just carry it out through our regular activities. The focus is the proposed relocation sites," Tayag said in a phone interview. The latest geohazard map completed in 2016 became available online in the same year. It is the output of the Department of Environment and Natura
WIPED OUT. A landslide-hit farming community in Baybay City, Leyte in this April 11, 2022 photo. A soil scientist has warned that "incipient" landslides caused by Tropical Depression Agaton in Baybay may trigger deadly landslides.(Photo courtesy of Pobreng Biyahero) TACLOBAN CITY - A soil scientist on Wednesday warned that "incipient" landslides caused by Tropical Depression Agaton in Baybay City may trigger major landslides in the future. The situation, according to Visayas State University Professor Victor Asio, calls for the need to come up with more detailed and updated geohazard maps of communities in the city that are vulnerable to landslides. "I suspect that several incipient landslides (landslides in the initial stage) were produced in various areas during 'Agaton' but are hidden by the vegetation cover. Another storm or typhoon may trigger these landslide incidents to become full or even catastrophic landslides," Asio said in a phone inter
QUICK RESPONSE. A landslide-hit farming community in Baybay City, Leyte in this April 11, 2022 photo. The Department of Agriculture is allocating PHP120 million quick response funds for the two areas in Leyte province badly hit by Tropical Depression Agaton.(Photo courtesy of Pobreng Biyahero) TACLOBAN CITY - The Department of Agriculture (DA) is allocating PHP120 million quick response funds for the two areas in Leyte province badly hit by Tropical Depression Agaton. DA Regional Executive Director Angel Enriquez said on Tuesday the initial releases are part of the national government's agricultural rehabilitation and recovery projects for the local government units of Baybay City and Abuyog, Leyte. "Last week, the DA regional field office turned over to the city government of Baybay an initial support worth over a million pesos for the relief and rehabilitation efforts intended to its farmers. Among the interventions provided were seven kilograms of assorted vegetable seeds,