Guinsaugon folk reminded of landslide
MAASIN CITY — The tragedy that tropical storm “Ondoy” brought to Metro Manila and parts of Rizal province is sending shivers down the spine of survivors of the massive landslide that buried the entire village of Guinsaugon in St. Bernard, Southern Leyte and hundreds of its people three years ago.
Guinsaugon made headlines around the world in February 2006 when, after two weeks of heavy rains, a portion of Mt. Kan-abag collapsed, covering Guinsaugon in hundreds of tons of rocks, mud and debris and burying alive at least 1,000 people.
Jolly Ann Gibe, assistant manager of a project that helps survivors move on, said she talked with a resident of another village near the landslide site, Tambis, who had expressed fears of another disaster as a result of a sharply altered weather pattern.
In an e-mail, Gibe quoted the resident as saying Metro Manila’s experience with Ondoy highlights the need for preparedness.
Gibe’s group, called Strengthening Assets and Capacities of Communities and Local Governments for Resilience to Disasters (Accord), will hold on Friday simultaneous flood and landslide drills for the villages of Tambis and Esperanza, which is also near the landslide site.
Jani Arnaiz, Inquirer Visayas
