Baguio City – Fourteen barangays here are not only prone to landslides. They, too are being watched closely by the city’s planning officers as residents could be living on top of sinkholes.
Sinkholes are common where the rock below the land surface is limestone or other carbonate rock, salt beds, or in other rocks, such as gypsum, that can be dissolved naturally by circulating ground water. Sinkholes also occur in sandstone and quartzite terrains.
The 14 barangays reported to be prone to sinkholes are Irisan, City Camp Central, Lower Rock Quarry, Pinget, Bakakeng Central, Dontogan, Sto. Tomas Proper, Asin, Dominican Mirador, Lourdes Subd. Ext., San Roque Village, Middle Quezon Hill, Quezon Hill Proper, and Upper Quezon Hill.
Evelyn Cayat, the city planning and development officer, said the hazard mapping project currently being undertaken in coordination with other agencies is pursuant to a city council resolution calling for the determination of danger zones in the city for mitigation.
While the city has an existing hazard map, Cayat said this particular project intends to pinpoint the exact structures sitting on danger zones.
When the hazard mapping is completed, the results will be disseminated primarily to the affected parties for them to undertake mitigating measures or evacuate their respective properties altogether if necessary.
MANILA BULLETIN
