Landslides

The Philippines is prone to various natural hazards, i.e. typhoon and earthquakes,
thus, occurrence of landslides is inevitable. Awareness and preparedness are the most
effective prevention and mitigation measures against possible threats of landslide in
the community

What are landslides?

>Landslides are defined as the mass movement of rock, debris or earth down
a slope and have come to include broad range of motions whereby falling,
sliding, and flowing under the influence of gravity dislodges earth material.

>Landslide occur
when an earthquake,
floods/prolonged
rainfall, or volcanic
eruption occur.

What are the causes of

landslides?
There are two main types
of landslides.
1.) Natural Landslide

> Gravity
>Geological factors
>Heavy and prolonged rainfall
>Earthquakes
>Forest fire
>Volcanic Eruption
>Waves
>Freezing and Thawing (for cold climate areas)
2.)Anthropogenic factors

>Inappropriate drainage system

>Cutting and deed excavation on slopes for buildings, roads, canals, and mining
>Change in slope/ land use pattern, deforestation, settlements, agricultural practices
on steep slope.

Landslide caused by
the typhoon
Ompong

What are the effects of landslide?

# destroys everything and anything that comes in their path (roads, rail lanes,
agricultural production, land area, etc.)
# loss of lives (depends on the place and time of occurrence)
Disaster Prevention and Mitigation
Mitigation :

• Frequency of landslide hazards and type of human activity as well as location

determine impact

• Total avoidance of landslide hazard areas or restriction on hazard zone activity is

an effective method of management

• Land use policies and regulations should also be in place in areas prone to landslides
• Hazard potentials of sites should be evaluated

• Landslides can be mitigated in following ways: - The landslide can be covered with
an impermeable membrane - Surface water is directed away from the landslide -
Ground water is drained from the landslide

• Education and awareness about the impact of landslides is also a must

Prevention:

A ground assessment should be done of your property. When this is done you
would know the kind of soil type that your property is built on, and would be able to
determine how susceptible it would be to ground movements and if landslides are a
possibility.

Find out whether the area in which you live is prone to landslides. Landslides
usually occur in the same areas, so if a landslide has occurred in your area it would
mean that the chances of another landslide occurring in the future are high.

Plant trees and other types of vegetation that would help to stabilize soil on the
slopes of your property.

Disaster Preparedness
Before:
1.) The key to staying safe is to prepare and to have an emergency plan in place.

Find out if you live in an area where landslides could potentially happen. Landslides
may also be referred to as mudslides, debris flows, mudflows or debris avalanches.
2.) Listen to local news and weather reports for any potential landslide watches and
warnings in your area.
3.) Talk with your family and neighbours about what you would do during a
landslide. Identify a safe place to gather.
4.) Have practice drills with your family, so you know what to do and are prepared.
Become familiar with the land around where you live and work so that you
understand your risk in different situations.
5.) Avoid actions that could increase instability. For example, don’t undercut a steep
bank; don’t build near the top or base of steep slopes; don’t place fill on steep slopes;
and don’t drain swimming pools or otherwise increase water flow down steep slopes.
6.) Learn how to recognize the signs of potential imminent landslides. This could
include slope cracks, slope bulges, an unusual seepage of water on the slope, sudden
changes in stream flow and small rocks falling. Watch the patterns of storm water
drainage on slopes near your home, especially where runoff water converges.
7.) Know who to notify if you see these signs. Have municipal emergency contact
numbers on hand.
8.) Have your emergency kit ready

Disaster Response
1.) Be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice. If you suspect imminent danger
evacuate immediately.

2.) Inform affected neighbours if you can, and contact your public works, fire or
police department.
3.) Listen for unusual sounds that might indicate moving debris, such as trees
cracking or boulders knocking together.
4.) Continue to take precautions and listen to and follow directions from local
authorities.
5.) Listen to the radio, watch your local news channels, and/or follow your local news
outlet and/or emergency officials on social media for further instructions from
officials and local leaders.
6.) Look for and report broken utility lines to appropriate authorities. Reporting
potential hazards will get the utilities turned off as quickly as possible, preventing
further hazard and injury.
7.) Check your home’s foundation, chimney and surrounding land for damage.

Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery

1.) Replant damaged ground as soon as possible because erosion caused by loss of ground
cover can lead to flash flooding. If you suspect your home is unsafe, do not enter. Rely on the
professionals to clear your home for re-entry, if you are unsure.

2.)Seek advice from a geotechnical expert for evaluating landslide hazards or

designing corrective techniques to reduce landslide risk. A professional will be able
to advise you of the best ways to prevent or reduce landslide risk, without creating
further hazard
 Sinkholes
> A depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of surface
layer.

>Sinkholes are sometimes called a shakehole, swallet, doline or a swallow hole. A

sinkhole is basically a hole that opens up in the ground due to the erosion of the
surface layer.

>Sinkholes can range in size from a few feet across to big enough to swallow up
entire buildings. Most sinkholes occur naturally although some are caused by human
activity like broken water or drain pipes, drilling, mining, and construction.

Are There Different Types Of Sinkholes?

There are two main types of Sinkhole:

1. Sinkholes that happen slowly over time known as cover-subsidence sinkholes

2. Sinkholes that suddenly appear known as cover-collapse sinkholes
 Sinkhole in Kabankalan
City, Negros Occidental Six
people have reportedly
fallen into a 12 feet deep
sinkhole that suddenly
appeared in the middle of a
basketball court in Purok
Jalandoni, Barangay
Oringao in Kabankalan
City, Negros Occidental in
July lasy year. MGB said
the hole may have been
created by water flowing
underground. Theu considered this as a geological hazard.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

In Your Property or Building Check For:

>Cracks in the exterior of the property, such as in the block or stucco

>Cracks in the interior of the property including areas along joints, windows, or
doors
>Doors and windows that don’t close properly
>Sloping or uneven floors
>Muddy or cloudy well water

Outside Your Property check for:

>Previously buried items, such as fence posts, and trees becoming exposed as the
ground sinks
>Gullies and areas of bare soil, that form as soil is carried towards the sinkhole
>A circular pattern of ground cracks around the sinking area
>Localized, gradual ground settlement
>Formation of small ponds, as rainfall accumulates in new areas
>Slumping or falling trees or fence posts
>Sudden ground openings or ground settlement
>Interrupted plumbing or electrical service due to damaged utility lines
>Dead or wilting vegetation caused by water being drawn away by the sinkhole
 Disaster Preparedness
 Determine the disaster risks in your locale and the hazards that accompany
them.
 Increase your knowledge about the emergency warning signals and alert
notifications used in your community.
 Instruct family members how to shut off water, gas and electricity to your
house.
 Make the necessary property preparations to reduce the damage from the
hazard.
 Acquire a backup generator in case of a prolonged power failure.
 Check into insurance (property, health, life, and hazard type).
 Make the necessary financial arrangements in case of a sudden evacuation
and power outage that shuts down local ATMs and banks.
 Organize important documents and records and store them in a portable lock
box or safe.
Disaster Response
If a sinkhole suddenly starts to appear, you will need to quickly assess the situation
and decide whether you’re going to evacuate or shelter in Place. If in doubt you
should not take any chances and leave the immediate area in search of safer ground.

Here are some basic guidelines to follow if you have a sinkhole on or near your
property:

 Don’t get too close, watch out for surface cracks and stay well back
 If the hole is very large and a risk to others, contact local police or emergency
responders
 Keep children away
 Notify all local occupants
 Notify the local Water Management District
 Mark the hole for safety and to restrict access (Use posts with caution tape or
rope)
 Place a piece of plywood over small holes
 Take photographs for documentation, but do not get too close to the edges
 Do not allow unauthorized or inexperienced persons to investigate the
sinkhole.

Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery

The main priorities after the occurrence of a Sinkhole will be to get disaster relief and
undertake the tasks of clean-up and salvage. Refilling and repairing Sinkholes should
only be carried out by qualified, reliable people or companies.

Do not refill a sinkhole with trash or debris because filling a sinkhole with waste
materials is illegal and may cause groundwater contamination for which the property
owner would be liable. If the amount of material needed to fill the hole it is too large
for just soil then more materials such as concrete and large rock may be needed.
Its also important to try to divert any excess water away from a hole before, during
and after filling.

The authors will use in-depth interviews for the aim of this study. This approach will be the
most effective and easy to use as the interviewer's aim is to determine the participants '
views, emotions and opinions on the actual subject of study. The researchers will also use
audio recording devices as it will allow a more consistent and accurate transcription. An
in-depth interview is done mainly in qualitative research, which arises when researchers
question broad, open-ended questions and collect their responses to one or more subjects.
The biggest advantage of personal interviews is that they require personal and direct
contact with interviewees and subjects and reduce the level of non-response, especially in
qualitative research, interviews are used to explore the interpretations of central issues in
their subject area. The main task in the questioning is to understand the meaning of what
the interviewees say (McNamara, 2009).

The authors will use in-depth interviews for the aim of this study. This approach will be the
most effective and easy to use as the interviewer aims to determine the participants '
views, emotions, and opinions on the actual subject of study. The researchers will also use
audio recording devices as it will allow a more consistent and accurate transcription. An
in-depth interview is done mainly in qualitative research, which arises when researchers
question broad, open-ended questions and collect their responses to one or more subjects.
The biggest advantage of personal interviews is that they require personal and direct
contact with interviewees and subjects and reduce the level of non-response, especially in
qualitative research, interviews are used to explore the interpretations of central issues in
their subject area. The main task in the questioning is to understand the meaning of what
the interviewees say (McNamara, 2009).