MANILA, 4 November 2010 (IRIN) - The riskof landslides in the Philippines, one of the most disaster-prone countriesin the world, is increasing, experts warn.
"With the changing weather conditions...and amount of rainfall each season brings, we could categorically statethat the number of landslide occurrences is increasing," AngelicaSajona, senior science research specialist with the Philippine government'sMines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), told IRIN.
The combination of mountainous and hillyregions that experience earthquakes as well as intense rainfall broughton by monsoons or typhoons, make the terrain naturally susceptible to landslides.According to the MGB, up to 80 percent of the country's total land areais landslide prone, making the country the fourth most exposed to landsliderisk, after Indonesia, India and China.
More than 100,000 people are exposedin the Philippines, according to the UN International Strategy for DisasterReduction (UNISDR).
But in a country with so many vulnerablepeople, the increasing intensity of typhoons and rapid urbanization, oftenon vulnerable land, are making the landslide risk worse, says Mario Aurelio,MGB's former director.
Rapid urbanization
As the country's population continuesto grow, many are settling in landslide-prone areas.
"Local and national government mustclosely monitor landslide potential... to keep people and infrastructureout of the path of slides," said Gabrielle Iglesias, project officerwith the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre.
In Manila alone, the country's capitaland largest city, almost three million people are living in informal settlementsin unstable areas, according to the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT),making them extremely vulnerable.
Precipitation and terrain
Unusually high precipitation as a resultof climate change has also increased the risk of landslides.
"The rains are becoming so intense,"said MGB's Cordillera Administration Region (CAR) chief geologist Fay Apil."Definitely, the landslides are getting worse."
The Cordillera region has the highestrisk of landslides in the Philippines. All its six provinces are on thelist of the MGB's top 10 provinces with the highest landslide susceptibilitylevels.
Last year, Typhoon Parma triggered landslidesin Sitio Little Kibungan in La Trinidad, Benguet - located in the mountainousCAR - killing up to 70 villagers.
While the industrial region depends onthe flow of water through the mineral-rich soil for its mining economy,the highly fractured terrain is particularly prone to landslides when thereare sudden increases in rainfall or floods because of a typhoon, said Apil.
The worst landslide in the country'srecent history happened in February 2006 in St Bernard town, Southern Leyte,a province in the Visayas. After two weeks of unusually heavy rains, anentire village was submerged. More than 1,000 residents, including 200school-children, were reported dead.
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[This report does not necessarily reflectthe views of the United Nations]
