Negros warned of more landslides, floods; faults intersect twin lakes
19.05.12
DUMAGUETE CITY—The presence of twin lakes and four intersecting geologic faults has increased the possibility that earthquake-triggered landslides and flash floods may occur in the city and in four towns of Negros Oriental, former Environment Secretary Angel Alcala said.
In an e-mailed statement titled “Unsolicited advice for Gov. Roel Degamo,” Alcala said the local government units (LGUs) of Dumaguete, Valencia, Sibulan, San Jose and Amlan should be on alert on the occurrence of the natural disasters, but he added that their probability could not be known.
He cited what happened in Mount Parker in South Cotabato on Sept. 6, 1995, when a wall of its crater lake, Maughan, caved in and spilled about 30 million cubic meters of water. The flash flood killed over 100 people.
Several faults are found near Maughan and the volcano itself, said Alcala, a marine biologist and recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for public service in 1992. He served as secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) during the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos from 1992 to 1995.
Source: Inquirer.net