SINKING. Soil depression damaged a house in Barangay Igmasandig of Valderrama, Antique on June 10, 2021. Valderrama Mayor Mary Joyce Roquero, in an interview Friday (June 11, 2021) said they already evacuated 50 families because of the danger. (Photo courtesy of Boss Patrol/Jhie Zerrudo)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique - The local government of Valderrama in Antique has continued its evacuation of families living in the mountainous village of Igmasandig amid the threat of soil depression.
“Last night we had already evacuated 50 families and the evacuation is still ongoing,” said Valderrama Municipal Mayor Mary Joyce Roquero in a phone interview on Friday.
She said they conducted the evacuation after they received a report from officials of Barangay Igmasandig that they have been experiencing tremors after the 4.8 magnitude earthquake on June 7, 2021 where the epicenter was located in their municipality.
The families were evacuated temporarily to their municipal evacuation center and are being provided with food and other necessities by the local government.
“We, however, do not know until when the families will be staying in the evacuation center,” the mayor said.
Valderrama is surrounded by mountains, she said, and the soil depression could be due to the earth's movement.
She added that she would be asking the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to send a team to study the cause of the soil depression that already damaged several houses.
The local government unit has yet to determine how many houses were damaged as a result of the depression.
Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Broderick Train, in a separate interview, said he has already sent his staff to Valderrama to assist its Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO).
“The PDRRMO staff will also conduct a risk assessment so that we could make a report to the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Office 6,” he said.
The Antique Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) has already coordinated with the municipal government for assistance to the displaced families. (PNA)
