Forced evacuation imposed in Koronadal due to landslide threat
Breaking News • 18:33 PM Mon Jun 29, 2015
1,088
By:
Roel Osano and Edwin Fernandez
Residents near this slope in Sitio El Gawel, Barangay Saravia, Koronadal City were evacuated for fear of more landslides. (Koronadal CDRRMC)
KORONADAL
CITY – The Koronadal City government has implemented forced evacuation to about
18 families in a remote village here due to possibility of a major landslide,
officials said.
At
least 18 families from Sitio El Gawel, Baragay Saravia, Koronadal City were
hauled by the city government using dump trucks and other vehicles as torrential
rain continue in South Cotabato Sunday.
Judith
Amido, Koronadal City information officer, said a landslide occurred nearby thus
the city disaster risk reduction and management council implemented the forced
evacuation.
They
are now temporarily housed at an evacuation center in Camp Mariano in Barangay
Saravia.
Relief
foods that could last for three days have been distributed by the city social
welfare office.
Amido
said the displaced families have been living near El Gawel Elementary School
which had been long abandoned because it lies beside landslide prone area.
Amido
added the city government is putting up a relocation site in Sitio Tolosa, also
in Barangay Saravia for the displaced families, mostly B’laan tribes people.
Five
villages in Koronadal City have been affected by flash floods last week
following an overnight heavy downpour.