An estimated 30-ft riprap of Casa del Rio collapsed towards the shanties along the river in sitio Kadaho-an, Talamban, Cebu City. (CDN PHOTO/ CARINE ASUTILLA)
by Rhea Ruth Rosell, Reporter
RESCUERS took all of 17 hours to recover the second fatality from the rubble of the collapsed riprap fence of Casa Del Rio in barangay Talamban, Cebu City.
The remains of 39-year-old Nestor Tapdasan Sr. was retrieved at 1:50 a.m. last Wednesday by rescuers amid the rubble of stones, soil, lumber, cement and broken pipes.
Tapdasan was found clutching a TV set near the house of a neighbor. His wife said he could have survived the tragedy if he didn’t try to save the TV set and items of his nephew who lived with him.
Rescuers believed he was unable to avoid the falling debris. The death toll rose to two while six others mostly children landed in the hospital after a riprap fence collapsed on top of six shanties Tuesday night.
The victims built their house close to the riprap and the river in sitio Kadaho-an, not Kalubihan as earlier reported.
Talamban barangay captain Jesus Remedio Jr. said the victims violated the three-meter easement and needed to be evacuated. The families were temporarily housed at Talamban Sports Center.
The barangay council didn’t declare the barangay a calamity area in their session this morning. The developer, Commonwealth Estate Inc. promised to shoulder the hospital bills, food, financial and burial assistance to the victims.
Remedio said they have long warned the residents to evacuate the area. As a result of the collapse, they won’t allow the residents to rebuild their houses because of the danger.
At Cebu City Hall, councilors asked the City Engineering Office and the Office of the Building Official to examine and assess the integrity of the soil and the remaining structures within the area.
The study will be the basis in issuing a recommendation to the developer to institute measures to prevent future incidents.
Cebu City Councilor Nida Cabrera said they will ask all barangay officials to submit a report of structures that have violated the three-meter river easement.
Remedio also sought the city government’s help in clearing the river easement in their barangay./ with reports from Correspondent Tweeny Malinao
Posted in: Uncategorized
Posted on May 9, 2012
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