Laoag City (CNN Philippines) — Fear enveloped the Tagudin family of Barangay Palongpong, Batac City, Ilocos Norte after a crack in the ground appeared in their property.
According to the head of the family, Joel Tagudin, the crack emerged on Sunday (July 5). It has a length of around 100 meters with a depth of at least six feet.
“The cracks even reached our house, causing some damages in our living room,” Tagudin lamented.
Tagudin said that after the three quakes that shook Ilocos Norte on Sunday and Monday (July 6), the crack widened and now extends outside their backyard.
He added that other cracks also appeared in other parts of their barangay causing anxiety to some families in their place.
“There are other cracks found in our barangay, but the crack in our property is the longest and deepest,” said Tagudin.
Excessive drilling
Officials of Batac City immediately invited experts from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to inspect the cracks.
Batac City Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta said MGB geologists found out that the cracks were caused by excessive drilling of water in Palongpong. The ground has become too dry forcing it to crack open.
“Batac is a rainfed area, that’s why farmers need to drill water for their crops,” Nalupta explained.
Nalupta added that the Palongpong incident will be a ground for the regulation of water drilling in the city.
