About 4.7 billion cubic meters of lahar remain trapped in Zambales’ rivers more than three decades after Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption, posing a severe flood risk to three towns unless large-scale dredging is undertaken, a regional geoscience official said.
Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Regional Director Noel Lacadin told resort owners in San Felipe that the deposits continue to clog the Bucao, Maloma, Sto. Tomas and Pamatawan rivers, leaving communities exposed.
Of the 6.7 billion cubic meters of lahar spewed by the volcano in 1991, Zambales absorbed 4.7 billion cubic meters, Lacadin said.
The Bucao River holds the largest share at 3 billion cubic meters, or 63.8 percent, while the Sto. Tomas River has 1.6 billion cubic meters, or 34 percent.
He warned that should the deposits overflow, the towns of San Felipe, San Narciso, and Botolan could be submerged.
Dredging and hauling lahar sand from the Bucao, Maloma, Sto. Tomas and Pamatawan rivers is critical to prevent further overflow and flooding, Lacadin said.
The issue was raised during a meeting between resort owners and the provincial government, led by Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., who pledged action.
“With open discussions and cooperation, we came up with a singular goal to push for a more structured development of the area and the well-being of the community and the town of San Felipe,” Ebdane said.
Ebdane added that dredging is essential to prevent water from spilling into farmlands and villages.
“Lahar deposits block rainwater from flowing directly to the sea, forcing water into rice fields and residential areas, which worsens flooding,” he said.
Officials said only 50 million cubic meters of lahar, around 1 percent of the total, have been dredged so far, underscoring the scale of work needed to protect Zambales’ residents and restore its waterways.
BusinessNews.ph
