The Davao Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has reported that additional dams have formed in Jose Abad Santos town following landslides triggered by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake.

Aside from the artificial dam formed after a creek’s passageway was blocked by landslide debris caused by the tremor in Barangay San Isidro, similar incidents have also been reported in another barangay.

One artificial dam has been reported in Barangay Sugal, two in Barangay Butuan, one in Camalian, and another in Barangay Bukid, while authorities are still verifying a reported incident in Barangay Butulan.

Responders said among the challenges they are facing in their operations are difficult terrain and weather conditions.

“Meron na pong ginawa si munisipyo na preemptive po same po sa ginawa during the san isidro landslide damming hindi pa po operational doon due to the existing weather condition brought by the easterlies it would be unsafe for the responders,” PDRRMO Research and Planning Division, Jayson Hontinara, said.

Authorities said the incident in Barangay San Isidro was successfully addressed by digging a passageway to allow the trapped water to flow toward the Nuing River.

The Office of Civil Defense-Davao (OCD-11), Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region-Davao (MGB-11), and other concerned agencies are set to meet to discuss and plan measures on how to resolve the situation in other barangays.

“Hindi ito pwedeng isang agency lang multi-agency ito pag-uusapan ito,” OCD-11 Director, Ednar Dayanghirang, said.