3 dead in landslide in Legazpi City due to rains from Usman

Three people died after a landslide buried their house in Legazpi City, Albay on Saturday.

The victims were a husband and wife and their child, according to a report on Super Radyo dzBB by Jonathan Andal.

FLASH: Tatlong miyembro ng isang pamilya, patay sa pagguho ng lupa sa Brgy. San Francisco, Legaspi City, Albay. | via @JonathanAndal_ pic.twitter.com/zTNE0xhRhF

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) December 28, 2018

The landslide occurred in Barangay San Francisco before 2 a.m.

The identities of the victims have not yet been released by authorities.

Legazpi City Police said continuous rains from Tropical Depression Usman may have made the ground soft, leading to the landslide.

Albay is under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 on Saturday morning.

Landslide threshold

Cedric Daep, head of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, said the rainfall threshold for landslides to occur in Albay is at 240 m.m.

However, they discovered that Barangay San Francisco has a lower rainfall threshold at 167 m.m. as compared to other barangays.

Daep cited reports that the victims refused to leave their houses despite warning from relatives.

"Gising pa daw 'yung tatay dahil nag-aayos nga ng bubong dahil tumutulo sa lakas ng ulan. So napansin nilang gumagalaw 'yung lupa at mukhang tatamaan 'yung bahay, narinig yata nila. So ginising nila lahat at nagsitakbuhan sila palabas. Kaya out of 13 nakalabas 'yung sampu. Pagkatapos 'yung tatlo, ayaw daw lumabas at tulog na tulog, mukhang gising na ayaw gumising kaya nangyari," Daep said.

"Kung sumunod sana sila doon sa family na nagsilabasan dahil sa threat ng landslide wala sanang namatay sa kanila," he added.

Daep said that so far, no casualties were reported in other barangays. —KG/LBG, GMA News