Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo has requested the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) to inspect the fault lines at the Twin Lakes of Sibulan town, a popular tourist attraction in the province.

 

The governor made the request a week after the magnitude 6.9 quake that hit the northern part of the province on Feb. 6, leaving behind a still increasing number of affected families, currently at 63,000, and a death toll of 24 as of this writing.

 

Fears are rife that the Twin Lakes’ walls will give way following the Feb. 6 earthquake.

 

A geological report received by the Governor’s Office noted that “movements along the fault lines near and within the Twin Lakes during strong earthquakes may trigger rupture on the lakes’ walls.”

 

Said report indicate that if this happens, water will burst from the collapsed walls of the lakes resulting to flash floods and landslides.

 

The Twin Lakes are reportedly sitting over a line fault and an old volcano crater.

 

The lakes Balinsasayao and Danao are popular tourist drawers in Sibulan town. Rising 300 meters above sea level, the two lakes are small but deep-cratered, and separated by a narrow mountain range that sits on a caldera between four mountains.

 

To date, the governor’s office is still waiting for PHIVOLC’s response to the governor’s request. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental with reports from Elgie Magallano)