SOME mountain lands, properties and road in hinterland barangays Candanas, Garcia-Hernandez and in Cantuyoc, Jagna town suffered fissures that displaced several families nearby when there was no tremor occurred. In Garcia-Hernandez, the fissures made land moving and cracking.
But no one was hurt, G-Hernandez Mayor Jess Baja and barangay Cantuyoc captain Geronimo Daguplo confirmed this in separate interviews on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Daguplo said that the land fissure displaces some ten families, who have abandoned their homes affected by the cracking for safety. Two families are now staying at the barangay hall, while the others to their respective kins.
He said that the land fissures began early of last week and may continue in coming days. He opined that the cause may have been the softening of soil due to continuous heavy downpour in the past days even without any tremor felt.
He expects that the geologists conduct an assessment on the fissures. This after the municipal government of Jagna led by Mayor Mark Louie Monungolh visited the place for assessment.
In G-Hernandez, the land movement occurrence on Nov. 5 puzzled the mayor since they only tried to inspect of a landslide of same spot (road) that rendered it impassable. The road was cleared of the earth materials but later on soil started to bear cracks and is moving. This incident may linked to soil cracking (technically called Desiccation) phenomenon.
Candanas barangay captain Anthony Ladesma in an exclusive interview confirmed this on Friday. He said that it adversely affected some eleven families who abandoned their abodes for safety. The barangay tried to persuade them to be in evacuation centers but they preferred to be in their kins.
The captain said that the barangay road to another neighboring barangays on the way to barangay Tabuan is condoned off as the cracked soils also deformed private lands and properties. He said that they observed there’s a sound of water that appeared to be traversing underneath the cracked soils.
The mayor said that he will consult this with the experts and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) wanted to conduct an inspection of the area. He added he may prohibit traffic to pass through it.
He said he plans to make the area inspected by geologists to find out what really causes the soil movement so for safety purposes.
Experts said that Localized Ground Cracking and Fissures maybe caused by groundwater Withdrawal, like over-pumping of groundwater or underground mining can lead to land subsidence, where the ground sinks and cracks (earth fissures). The drying of the soil causes tension, which manifests as cracks that can open over time, often without a seismic tremor.
Soil Cracking or Desiccation is said to be vulnerable as clay-rich soils are prone to cracking due to changes in moisture content. During hot and dry periods, the soil expels water and contracts, leading to the formation of extensive networks of cracks or fissures on the surface. (Ric Obedencio)
