FACT SHEET: LANDSLIDE DISASTER SOUTHERN LEYTE PHILIPPINES

Two days after Valentine's Day, several thousands in the province of Southern Leyte, particularly in the town of St. Bernard have been victimized by rampaging landslides last February 17, 2006 just before noon. Rocks, mud and debris from Mt. Guinsaugon avalanched over Brgy. Guinsaugon located at its foot after several days of heavy rain. Geologists and experts point to the continuous rain which surpassed the holding capacity of the soil, as the direct cause of the mudslide. Profile of the Municipality and Affected Baranggay: St. Bernard is classified as a 5th class municipality (ranking as one of the poorest/depressed) with an area of 100 sq. kilometers and a population of 23,089. It is about 105 kilometers from Maasin City, the center of the province and close to 150 kilometers from the center of the region which is Tacloban City. As an agricultural town, it is no surprise that their patron saint is St. Isidore, whose feast date falls on every May 29th. The landslide occurred in Brgy. Guinsaugon, one of the 30 barangays of the St. Bernard. It is about 9 kilometers from the town proper and is reportedly the 3rd biggest barangay of the municipality with a total of 320 households and a total population of 1,875. The barangay is also said to be located along a faultline. Religious affiliations of the barangay are predominantly of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP). The Tragedy: It was about 10:30 in the morning of Feb. 17, 2006 under continuing downpour of rain when suddenly an earthquake occurred recorded at 2.6 on the Richter scale (this is being disputed by other reports that the earthquake came after the landslide). After that, the residents just heard a sound more like an explosion then came the mud and the rushing boulders bigger than the size of a house. It was so sudden that the residents were caught unaware. School was in session and a Women's Health Day celebration was being conducted in the area. Reports from different monitoring agencies said that the continuous rain for the past week was the immediate cause of the landslide. It is a rainfall-induced landslide. Southern Leyte received about 4 times more than the normal rainfall. (478mm vs. 137mm). The Aftermath There was an estimated 45 hectares of mud-covered area with about a 4-6 meter thickness. The school that was located near the mountain was buried under about 35-40 meters of mud. Buried under the school building were about 206 (246 on other records) students including 6 teachers and 1 head teacher. From varied estimates, it is feared that more than 1,500 residents are buried under the mud. Some municipal officials were feared dead since they had attended the Women's Health Day celebration in the said barangay when the tragedy occurred. They were identified as follows: Public Health Nurse Athena Letigio, Muicipal Social Welfare-CIDSS worker Felicidad Ilagan, Midwife Susan Sabandal, Brgy. Guinsaugon Captain Absalon Libaton and some of his council members. Also feared dead was Pastor Neil Toyhacao of the UCCP who was assigned in Brgy. Guinsaugon together with his 6-month old daughter. Already death toll (from bodies recovered) has reached to more than a hundred, 410 individuals rescued. Other reports put the missing at over 1000 individuals. While it is Brgy. Guinsaugon that was hardly-hit, there were also other barangays affected whose residents who already evacuated. These barangays are Ayahag, Sug-angon, Nueva Esperanza, Carnaga, Mag-atas, Hinabian, Malinao, Kauswagan, Libas, Lower Bantawon, Sta. Cruz and Tambis I. Thousands have already evacuated and they are currently taking shelter at the United Church of Christ Church and Roman Catholic Church in St. Bernard, Municipal town hall, Central School, Municipal Auditorium and the Cristo Rey Regional High School.

03 Mar 2006

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