By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The return of the 10 families who were pre-emptively evacuated over the weekend at Purok Tindalo, Barangay 1 in Negros Occidental’s San Carlos City remains uncertain.

They were forced to flee their homes after a portion of a retaining wall along the Palampas River showed signs of a potential collapse.

Joe Alingasa Jr., head of San Carlos City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), said yesterday morning that the City Engineer’s Office is still determining the cause of the large cracks in the retaining wall.

Alingasa also confirmed that the CDRRMO risk assessment team determined that 10 adjacent houses were also found to have cracks on their floors, and one had already sunk.

He pointed out that it is possible that portions beneath the homes were hollow and water had seeped in, causing the cracks and ground fissures.

Personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways are also investigating the cracks alongside the City Engineer’s Office.

Alingasa said it is still not safe for the evacuated families, composed of 58 individuals, to return to their homes.

He said San Carlos City Mayor Renato Gustilo has ordered all affected families to be temporarily housed at the city evacuation center so that they can easily receive assistance./DGB, WDJ