Monday, June 8, 2015

157 Sinkholes Found In Over A Dozen Barangays In Baguio City

The Cordillera office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has a hazard map showing areas in Baguio City that are susceptible to landslides, flooding, and damage due to natural calamities like earthquakes. The map shows that there are at least 157 sinkholes scattered in 14 barangays of the city. And according to the Baguio City Planning Office, there are 24 houses that stand right on top of these sinkholes.

This issue is not exactly new. The city has known for years that it harbors dozens of these sinkholes. Back in 2009, around 50 buildings in Crystal Cave were deemed to be endangered because they either stood on or near sinkholes. Visible cracks were also found in the area during that time.

It's also worth mentioning here that the 157 sinkholes that the Mines and Geosciences Bureau has in its records are just the known ones. There's a possibility that there are more sinkholes out there, they just haven't been found yet. Without your knowledge, your house may be standing on one. That said, if you ever notice something amiss in the ground where your house stands, have it investigated immediately. There are grounds that may look solid and firm but underneath them may lurk a sinkhole. The grounds over sinkholes can break down during strong quakes and heavy rains.

Here's the list of barangays in Baguio City that the MGB hazard map shows as home to sinkholes.
1. City Camp Central
2. Lower Rock Quarry
3. Pinget
4. Bakakeng Central
5. Dontogan
6. Santo Tomas Proper
7. Asin
8. Dominican Mirador
9. Lourdes Subdivision Extension
10. San Roque Village
11. Irisan
12. Middle Quezon Hill
13. Quezon Hill Proper
14. Upper Quezon Hill

Watch Ada Sibayan of ABS-CBN News Baguio's report on the issue below: