Multiple cracks have deepened, and soil erosion has increased on a mountain slope at Camp Valdez, Barangay Mambaroto in Sipalay City.
The area has been cordoned off to ensure the public’s safety, and a warning sign has been put up, Dionilo Bogtae, Sipalay City Disaster Risk Reduction Management coordinator, said on Tuesday.
A landslide-prone area sign placed on the side of the highway warns motorists and passersby that falling soil and rocks could occur in the area, especially during heavy rain or earthquakes.
A geo-hazard assessment conducted by the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau-Negros Island Region, together with the Sipalay Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) team on Oct. 18, confirmed the presence of multiple large horizontal cracks at the foot of the slope.
The assessment detected an estimated 80 to 100 meters of vertical displacement with cracks measuring 3 to 9 feet deep. Signs of a recent landslide were also noted.
Bogtae said they are looking at limiting the loads of trucks passing through the area to prevent further shaking.
They are currently coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) since the highway falls under its jurisdiction, he said.
Bogtae said pre-existing cracks in the area may have been exacerbated by heavy rains and by recent earthquakes and aftershocks.
He added that pre-existing fissures in the slope may have worsened due to the continuous heavy rainfall and recent earthquakes in the region