Iloilo City – Regional Director Leo Van V. Juguan of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region 6 (MGB-6) said that a team of geologists from his office will conduct within the week a follow-up and detailed geological study of the sinkhole at Purok Jalandoni, Barangay Oringao in Kabankalan City. The sinkhole was discovered after five residents fell into the hole last June 26. No one died in the said incident.
MGB-6 inspected the sinkhole last June 28 and learned from local residents that old sinkholes were already discovered in the past. The old sinkholes were located near the recently discovered one. In fact, more sinkholes may continue to form in the area given the right conditions, MGB-6 geologist Dr. Leilanie Suerte said in her report.
Juguan warned that the sinkholes are present in built-up and populated areas such as in Purok Jalandoni, and this poses serious threats to lives and properties.
“The city government of Kabankalan has already restricted access to the sinkhole at Purok Jalandoni in Barangay Oringao. It is considered as “danger zone” and with close monitoring, life-threatening incidents will be prevented,” Juguan said.
“We will conduct a detailed geological study of the area within the week as a follow-up of the initial assessment,” Juguan added.
Dr. Leilanie Suerte said that “sinkhole formation and development appears to be a continuing process in the area as sinkholes had already been observed in Purok Jalandoni several times in the past, although these sinkholes were sealed and covered for safety purposes.”
Given the right conditions particularly groundwater flowing down and dissolving the limestone units beneath the surface, new sinkholes will form, Suerte concluded. (LAA, MGB-6)