NEW BATAAN, COMPOSTELA VALLEY, April 02 (PIA): Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Geologist Beverly Brebante urges residents of New Bataan to be always vigilant of flashfloods and floods which she said would usually occur due to the towns topographic location.
During the Makigsayod Information Forum in New Bataan held last month, Brebante made residents especially of the town poblacion (referred to as Barangay Cabinuangan), understand the geographic hazards that they have to deal with.
Brebante drumbeat calls for utmost vigilance as people in the area recently experienced a disastrous debris flow when typhoon Pablo swept through Compostela Valley in December last year, carrying an avalanche of seven to nine meters depth of mixed mud, rocks, boulders and sand.
The debris flow rushed through the center of barangay Andap, buried a considerable portion of the barangay, lost lives of hundreds of its residents. It further pushed floodwaters six kilometers towards the poblacion area of New Bataan.
Brebante explained that flashfloods and floods would come as natural phenomena in Barangay Cabinuangan which lies at the floodplains of Mayo and Maa rivers.
Floodplains are downstream areas where rivers normally shift their courses over some period of time.
In revealing findings of recent topographic survey, Brebante said Mayo River has shifted 1000 meters from its original course, taking a new direction closer to the poblacion, while the Maa River has taken a new course 500 meters westward towards the poblacion.
Brebante understood that relocating would take some time for residents to do so but she already had identified areas as relocation sites, specifically Purok 15 of Barangay Panag; Sitio Pagsilaan of Barangay Andap; and Purok 4 and 2 of Barangay San Roque.
The Task Force Pablo in February recommended relocation of residents in most parts of Barangay Cabinuangan.
Pending such moves to happen, Brebante suggested the local government unit (LGU) to adopt some mitigating measures such as construction of a dike before and after the junction of Kalyawan Creek and Mayo River; desilting and widening of river channels to prevent clogging and constriction of river courses; and construction of a dike to prevent floodwaters of Ma-a River from overflowing.
She recommended the LGU to take strict implementation of land use plan; to set a buffer zone of five meters on both sides of river banks; install rain gauges at the upper watershed of rivers; set up a warning system; monitor landslide prone areas to check development of tension cracks and other landslide manifestation; require a detailed environmental impact study of whatever development activities at the headswater areas of surrounding rivers; conduct EIC Campaign; and to immediately relocate residents of So. Liboton in Brgy Andap.
Sitio Liboton is located at the headwater area of Mayo River which spawned huge volume of floodwaters and an avalanche of debris into the sitio when Typhoon Pablo came in December last year. (piaxi/Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)
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