MGB: Parts of Cagayan River less than two meters deep

Some parts of the Cagayan River which were previously five to six feet meters deep now have a depth of less than two meters, causing easy flooding, the initial study of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has shown.

According to Jun Veneracion’s report on “24 Oras,” the MGB recommended authorities to conduct dredging to solve the problem. However, it was unable to start dredging activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“‘Yung original capacity niya to drain, maybe limited by less. Baka more than half na ‘yung ano na limit ng capacity niya. Assuming na same volume of water ang dadaan at meron na siyang material, mag overflow na ‘yan,” MGB director Atty. Wilfredo Moncano said.

However, Moncano said that even dredging may not have stopped the flooding in the Cagayan province. He added that the heavy rains brought by the typhoons made the land saturated and unable to absorb water.

“Makita ka ng sponge. Pagka may tubig diyan itra-trapo mo ‘yung sponge na ‘yan na wala pang laman, ah, hindi pa siya kwan, ma-absorn niya ‘yung kwan. Malinis ‘yung tubig… ma-absorb ‘yan,” Moncano said.

“Pero kung pino na ng tubig ‘yung sponge na ‘yon. Kahit anong ano mo pa, pahid nung sponge na ‘yon, andyan pa rin ‘yung tubig,” he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of Environment and Natural Resources the illegal mining and illegal logging in Cagayan following the widespread flooding in the province.

However, the MGB has said that there were no big mines in Cagayan Valley.

It said that the areas with mines are Davao de Oro, Agusan del Sur, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Baguio, Masbate, and the Zamboanga Peninsula.

“Walang contribution ang mining diyan because una, ang malalaking minahan diya is not in Cagayan Valley but in Nueva Vizcaya,” Moncano said. -Joahna Lei Casilao/NB, GMA News