2006 Southern Leyte mudslide

On February 17, 2006, a series of mudslides caused widespread damage and loss of life in the Philippine province of Southern Leyte. The deadly landslides followed a ten-day period of heavy rains and a minor earthquake of magnitude 2.6 on the Richter scale. Fifty people are confirmed dead, but with 958 people still missing the death toll is expected to rise dramatically."Hundreds feared dead in Philippine mudslide", Reuters, 17 February 2006

Overview of disaster

The municipality of Saint Bernard was one of the worst hit areas, where twenty-three are confirmed to be dead with up to 200 estimated as dead and another 1,500 missing. Barangay Guinsaugon, a mountain village on the said municipality with 2,500 people, was almost completely destroyed.

A local elementary school was buried during one of the landslides which occurred between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. when the school was in session and full of children. Provincial Governor Rosette Lerias said that, at the time, the school had 246 students and 7 teachers, and, as of 17 February, only one child and one adult have been rescued. There were also about 100 people visiting the village for a women's group meeting.

Governor Lerias said that although several residents had left the area last week due to the fear of landslides, several of them had returned when the rains had eased.

On February 14, 2006, Governor Lerias placed the town of Sogod under a state of calamity.

Rescue and relief

Rescue teams including troops from the military are operating in the affected areas. However, relief efforts are hampered by rain, chest-deep mud, roads blocked by boulders, washed-out bridges and lack of heavy equipment. A minor earthquake in the morning of February 17, 2006 also affected the relief operation as the ground and mud remain unstable.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo made an address on television promising that "help is on the way". Navy and coast guard ships were dispatched to the coastal area."Hundreds feared dead in Philippine mudslide", Reuters, 17 February 2006

On February 17, 2006 the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement made an appeal for US $1.5 million to help the victims of the mudslides. The funds will be used to purchase tents, blankets, cooking utensils, mosquito nets, temporary shelter materials, hygiene articles, water purification tablets and medicines. US $152,000 has already been released to provide initial assistance. A relief plane was being flown into the region carrying emergency trauma kits, rubber boots, ropes, clothing, flashlights and medicine. Three Philippines National Red Cross teams with search and rescue dogs were at the site to provide assistance and more are expected to join."Red Cross seeks $1.5 mln for Philippine mudslide", Reuters, 17 February 2006 The Red Cross said that it feared that the death toll would be high."Hundreds feared dead in Philippine mudslide", Reuters, 17 February 2006

The United States has sent two naval vessels, the USS Essex and the USS Harpers Ferry, to the area to provide assistance."Hundreds feared dead in Philippine mudslide", Reuters, 17 February 2006 About 6,000 U.S. Army and Marine Corps troops are in the Philippines for an annual bilateral exerciseNo Signs of Life' after Huge Mudslide hits Philippines, Pakistan Times. The US government has also donated $100,000 worth of disaster equipment to the Philippine Red Cross. USAID has turned over 2.9 million pesos (about $560,000) worth of food and non-food items.Landslide triggers avalanche of international aid, The Inquirer, 19 February 2006

Other countries have donated or pledged assistance to the Philippine government. China offered a donation of $1 million in cash and material. Australia also offered AUS$1 million ($740,000) in immediate relief. Taiwan pledged enough medicine to treat 3,000 individuals for a month and a half along with $100,000. Thailand also pledged $100,000. Malaysia sent a 60-man search-and-rescue and medical assistance team named the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance Team (SMART). Spain, through a non-government organization, the Unidad Canina de Rescate y Salvamento, sent a six-man rescue team equipped with five sniffer dogs to aid in the relief and rescue efforts.Landslide triggers avalanche of international aid, The Inquirer, 19 February 2006. South Korea promised $1 million. New Zealand would send $133,000 to be used in future rescue operations. Singapore has said, according to a statement from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, that officials would help the Arroyo administration in any way possible. Indonesia and Turkey have humanitarian contingents as well.

The Philippine Red Cross reported that 53 persons were rescued from the mud on 17 February, but the rescue efforts had to be suspended at nightfall for safety reasons.No Signs of Life' after Huge Mudslide hits Philippines, Pakistan Times

The area is still being threatened by further flashfloods and rising rivers due to the heavy rainfall in the past few weeks.

Reactions

According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim Young Nam had offered his sympathies to the Arroyo administration, saying that he "expressed sympathy to the dead, bereaved family members and residents of affected areas".

The KCNA had also reported that he was confident that Arroyo would bring stability to the affected areas.

Possible causes

Philippine congressman Roger Mercado of Southern Leyte claimed in a Reuters interview that logging and mining done in the area three decades ago was the main culprit.Hundreds feared dead in Philippine mudslide, Reuters, 17 February 2006Dave Petley, professor at the International Landslide Centre, Durham University, told the BBC that the causes Congressman Mercado mentioned, if proven true, created a "dangerous combination" that produced a "classic landslide scenario". "What caused Philippines landslide?", BBC, 17 February 2006

However, local government officials and eyewitnesses say that the area was well forested and the governor's office said that deforestation logging activities were not the causal factor. "What caused Philippines landslide?", BBC, 17 February 2006

Experts did agree that torrential rains lasting two weeks before the mudslide was the main cause for the disaster. Rainfall amounting to over 200cm (79 inches) in ten days loosened the soil so much that the resulting sludge and rocks thundered down the slopes of nearby Mount Can-abag, virtually disintegrating it. The La Niña weather phenomenon was blamed for the non-stop rains that occurred in the province, as well as in the Caraga region, which is due south of Leyte. San Francisco, Agusan del Sur mayor Carie Ladernora declared the state of calamity on her town by February 12, 2006.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded a magnitude 2.6 earthquake in Southern Leyte just prior to the landslide although the effects of this are unclear."What caused Philippines landslide?", BBC, 17 February 2006

Similar incidents

A landslide also occurred on December 2003, burying the town of San Francisco, Southern Leyte and killing up to 200 people.

On 11 July 2000, a garbage slide triggered by strong rains killed 193 people in northern Quezon City.

In 1991, Tropical Storm Thelma triggered massive floods in the island of Leyte killing more than 5,000 people."Hundreds feared dead in Philippine mudslide", Reuters, 17 February 2006

Mining operations

Religious leaders and civil authorities suspect that mining interests are behind the Southern Leyte tragedy.

The Supreme Court decision December last year reversing its earlier ruling concerning the legality of the Mining Act of 1995 has paved the way for U.S. and other foreign mining corporations to claim mining rights in the country, the report of the recently-concluded International Solidarity Mission (ISM) said. These corporations have particularly penetrated Samar and Leyte, islands in central Philippines which are rich in bauxite, nickel and copper.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) lists two mining companies which have an ongoing exploration in the region, particularly in Southern Leyte: The Buena Suerte Mining Corporation, which explores the areas near San Francisco, San Ricardo, Pintuyan and Liloan (6,611.59 has.) and Orophilippine Ventures, Inc., which explores Sogod, Liloan, St. Bernard and Libagon. Gold, silver, and other associated minerals can be mined in these areas.

May 2006 mudslide

Due to Typhoon Chanchu (Philippine name: Caloy), flash floods and mudslides isolated at least 11 barangays in Sogod, Southern Leyte. No casualties were reported. Storm triggers landslides; thousands stranded, INQ7.net, 12 May 2006

Notes

There is no mining or exploration activity in Southern Leyte in the vicinity of the landslide area. The cause of the landslide is definitely the continuous heavy rain and the geology of the area. It lies along the Philippine Fault System. The ground and bedrock cannot sustain the heavy load brought about by the rain, even if it is covered by forest because the underlying rocks are highly fractured and weak. After being oversaturated, the weak shaking of the ground and the natural pull of gravity triggered the massive landslide that buried the village of Guinsaugon.

References

External links

St. Bernard, Leyte from Google Maps

Disasters in the Philippines | 2006 disasters | Landslides

Corrimiento de tierra de Leyte del Sur de 2006 | 2006년 레이테 산사태 | 2006年菲律賓土石流

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