By CESAR JOLITO III
Safety measures have been tightened in Negros Occidental’s Toboso town after widening ground cracks raised fears of a possible sinkhole or landslide, with students among those most at risk.
Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco said that the local government is awaiting an urgent on-site assessment from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to determine the severity and cause of the ground movement in Barangay General Luna’s Sitio Bairan.
What began as small fissures have since expanded significantly, prompting authorities to restrict access to the affected route commonly used by residents and schoolchildren.
Jaojoco said the local government is prioritizing public safety as it awaits MGB findings that will guide further actions, including possible evacuations and long-term mitigation measures.
The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) has installed partial cordons around the site and is set to add more warning tapes to alert the public.
With the road now partially closed, commuters are being directed to take longer alternative paths to avoid the danger zone.
General Luna’s barangay captain has also sought assistance from the MDRRMO to manage traffic and prevent unauthorized entry, as portions of the ground have become deep enough to pose fall hazards, particularly for children.
Structural damage has already been reported.
A newly built house in the area has begun to tilt, with visible cracks appearing on its floor, while construction on another nearby structure has been halted after fissures emerged during ongoing work.
Local officials suspect the ground movement may be linked to geological activity in the area, pending technical validation.
Sinkhole depth
MDRRMO Engineer Hospicio Carbajosa, Jr. said monitoring shows the subsidence has worsened.
The sinkhole depth has increased to about 10 feet from a previously recorded nine feet, while the main ground crack has widened to roughly four feet.
Continuous monitoring is underway as the town awaits validation from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the Office of Civil Defense.
While the exact number of affected households and students has yet to be confirmed, the municipal government is coordinating with barangay officials to complete an assessment.
Updated photographs and documentation of the site and damaged structures have been prepared and will be released once authorities complete initial validation.
The sinkhole, which now spans a radius of about 30 meters and a diameter of roughly 60 meters, lies around 500 meters from the East Negros Fault System.
Carbajosa explained that the area’s limestone-rich terrain makes it highly susceptible to sinkholes, especially during prolonged or heavy rains.
“When there is continuous rainfall, the limestone dissolves, weakening the ground structure and causing it to sink,” Carbajosa said, noting that the site is also near the Calatrava-Toboso earthquake fault line, part of the same fault system./CJ, WDJ