Following the mass wasting or landslide incident in Barangay 19-B, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) urged the affected residents to relocate to safer areas rather than rebuilding their homes in the same place.
“Ang awhag namo sa ilaha nga mga taga-Awhag, kung pwede unta dili na sila mamalik kay kahibalo naman sila unsa kadelikado sa area [We are urging the residents of Awhag village to no longer rebuild their homes in the same place since they are now aware of how dangerous the area is],” Ms. Maria Cristina Sunga-Villegas, Head of the Research and Planning Division of the CDRRMO, said during the ISpeak Media Forum on Thursday.
On January 24, a mass wasting incident took place beside the Davao River in Barangay 19-B that resulted in the collapse of a flood-mitigating structure or gabion.
The CDRRMO coordinated with the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) for assistance to the landslide victims. Sunga-Villegas said that based on the assessment conducted by the CSWDO, 14 families were affected by the incident.
The CDRRMO has already referred and coordinated the incident with the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for assessment and repairs necessary for the damaged structures.
The Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee (BDRRMC) of Barangay 19-B was also advised to continuously monitor the area for possible progression of the hazard.
The office also installed caution tapes and hazard signages.
Meanwhile, the CDRRMO also reported that there were no recorded casualties during the incident.
Currently, the affected residents are temporarily sheltered at the Awhag Covered Court. The city government has already provided them with food and non-food assistance. CIO
