By CESAR JOLITO III

Authorities are closely monitoring a portion of a mountain slope that collapsed at Barangay Mambaroto in Negros Occidental’s Sipalay City, after confirming visible cracks and signs of soil movement that could lead to a possible landslide.

Sipalay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) coordinator Dionilo Bogtae prompted a rapid inspection and verification in Camp Valdez by the local disaster response team.

Based on their initial assessment, the crack measures approximately three meters deep, 2.6 feet wide, and stretches about 80 meters long.

Bogtae said the collapse was further confirmed after sediments from the eroded area were found clogging a drainage canal along the nearby highway.

“We cannot tell yet if the crack was caused by heavy rains or by the recent earthquakes felt in Sipalay City,” Bogtae said, noting that they have already sought the assistance of experts to determine the cause.

The city has also coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways to conduct a structural and soil stability assessment of the area.

To monitor potential movement, authorities have installed soil markings and early warning devices around the affected slope.

Residents and motorists have been advised to avoid the area as a precautionary measure, with the CDRRMO declaring the site unstable and prone to further erosion or landslides.

Bogtae added that the Mines and Geosciences Bureau has been requested to perform a comprehensive geohazard assessment to evaluate the full extent of the risk and recommend long-term mitigation measures./CJ, WDJ