Southern Leyte Philippines Landslide 2006
Heavy Rains and a Minor Earthquake Buried a Village
May 12, 2009
Southern Leyte is a province located on the island of Leyte in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. The town of St Bernard is situated on the eastern side of the island and it contains several villages, one of them is Guinsaugon with a population of 1,500.
The topography of the area is a rugged, mountainous interior with flat lands along the coast. This province also has many rivers and has periods of extremely heavy rainfall. Southern Leyte lies within the Philippine Rift Zone with the major fault earthquake fault line transects St. Bernard.
Causes of the Southern Leyte Landslide
The area had endured ten days of torrential rain and it was a heavier than normal, amounting to over 79 inches. The rainfall loosened the soil on the surrounding mountains.
In addition, there was a minor earthquake registering 2.6 on the Richter scale and these tremors were strong enough to cause the landslide.
Other factors contributing to the landslide were badly broken rocks on the mountains, steep slopes and lack of dense vegetation.
At 10:30am on February 17, 2006, a cliff face on the Philippine Fault line collapsed and caused an avalanche of rocks, mud, trees and other debris.
Damage Caused by the Southern Leyte Landslide
Located close to the ridge was an elementary school with classes in session. It was estimated that 246 students and seven teachers were in the school when the landslide occurred. Only one student and one teacher were rescued.
The Guinsaugon Women's Health Association was having a special event in an open-air auditorium and all eighty women were killed.
Rescue attempts began almost immediately with the Philippines National Red Cross team responding with search and rescue dogs. The US Navy dispatched two ships, the USS Essex and the USS Harpers Ferry. Relief planes brought in rescue gear, medical kits, clothing and food. Many countries pledged financial assistance and search teams.
The rain and mud made it difficult for the rescue teams to do their jobs. In an article by the Canadian Broadcasting Company it was reported, “Rainy weather was making the rescue effort difficult. Heavy equipment couldn't work in the mud – which was up to nine metres deep in some areas – so people were using their hands to dig for survivors. Rescuers reported hearing thunder and booming noises from the mountain. They feared another mudslide.”
According to International Charter, “The huge landslide on the Island of Leyte on the west point of the Islands of the Philippines caused at least 200 deaths and 1,500 people are missing. Some 500 houses were buried under the mud. Two other villages were affected and about 3000 people were evacuated to a state building.”
Three months later, in May 2006, Typhoon Chanchu spawned flash floods and mudslides in Southern Leyte. There were no casualties were reported.
Related Articles on Landslides:
The Frank Slide in Alberta, Canada
The Hope Slide, British Columbia
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