NAGA CITY (5 November) - JEEPNEY PASSENGERS arriving at the North bound terminal here early dawn today reported that the provincial road leading to the towns of Tinambac, Siruma and the port locality of Tamban had been blocked by landslide along Sitio Hubo of Barangay Bulao-Balite in Tinambac, Cam. Sur.
A certain Garchitorena town councillor named Sarmiento who had travelled by Tamban port this morning, gave accounts to local radio that passenger vehicles headed towards Tinambac and those from the said town bound for Naga City North Terminal were unable to proceed to their destinations because of the debris blocking the road.
Tinambac Mayor Ruel Vellarde who rushed to the site of the incident, reported to local radio that enormous amount of dirt and rocks have cascaded from a high ground, blocking the highway in Sitio Hubo and burying two houses across the road.
Vellarde reported the landslides occurred early dawn; meanwhile residents of the two houses buried by the debris of rock and soil were able to escape during the heavy rains.
Army trucks with both military and police personnel helped partially clear the road to transport hundreds of stranded passengers on both ends of the highway.
Vellarde said the LGU has its own backhoe and other heavy equipment to clear the major road link until mid-day on Thursday.
The Mayor recalled that a landslide in Barangay Bulao-Balite also killed several residents three years ago; President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was reported to have given financial assistance to the family of the victims.
In the meantime, the Camarines Sur Police Office here earlier reported that water surges also occurred in the coastal village of Sabang, Calabanga last Tuesday (Nov. 3); no injuries were reported but sea-water inundated houses near the coast at about half a meter in height.
Similar sea surges were also reported along the coast of Siruma and Garchitorena coastal towns, last Tuesday morning.
PAGASA reported that monsoon rains have caused the heavy down-pour in the coastal and mainland municipalities in Cam. Sur. (SONNY SALES)