South Cotabato – According to the report posted by ABS-CBN on their official website, there are almost 140 families have evacuated in Polomolok, South Cotabato last Friday night, July 29, 2016 because of the danger that might bring by a large scale sinkhole that appeared in the area. It is reported that the sinkhole is 50 meters wide and with a depth of 40 meters in Purok Maunlad, Silway 8, beside Honeyville Subdivision. The sinkhole was expected to widen because of the consecutive rain falls.
According to some other residence that it is better for them to evacuate to secure their safety and will avoid the risk of staying in the place. The evacuees will momentarily stay at Silway 8 Elementary School. They had to evacuate immediately after they have informed by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to leave the area and their houses for a moment as long as the local government will advise them that it is safe to get back to their homes.
The authority has not yet confirmed the cause of the sinkhole in the area. But the brgy. Captain Nilo Gubao said that there was a former hole in the area which the irrigation is flowing from the mountains. The investigation is still going on to know the factors that have caused the sinkhole in the area. The local government has already given the evacuees a relief and goods to momentarily provide their needs during their stay in the evacuation area.
What is sinkhole?
A sinkhole is caused by the water erosion that provides a path to the surface water to disappear underground especially in a limestone bedrock that causes the cavity in the ground. Although it is often the result of natural processes, sinkholes can also be triggered by human activities like mining and deep excavation for construction or tunnels underground. There are many kinds of sinkholes and with the different width a depth when occurs.