An official from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) yesterday, November 18, maintained that there is no evidence of illegal logging activity at Mt. Kanlaon, even after tons of logs and massive volcanic rocks were carried by floodwaters at the height of Typhoon Tino.
Charlie Fabre, the DENR regional director for the Negros Island Region, disclosed that the trees brought down by the floodwaters were uprooted from riverbanks, creeks, and private properties. His affirmation reinforced the previous statement released by his department, which was based on the ground assessment conducted by his team.
Fabre said that, based on their consolidated report dated November 14, there were no indications that the trees carried down by the severe flooding were cut illegally.
Their inventory showed that the uprooted logs found along the Bagacay Creek in Barangay Biak na Bato in La Castellana as of November 13 included lauan, toog, nato, sangil, and mahogany trees. These logs totaled 12,636.88 board feet.
Adding to the chain of events were the 30 landslides on Mt. Kanlaon, Fabre added.
The DENR has attributed the recent landslides and flash floods in central Negros to 10 hours of non-stop rains before the landfall of Typhoon Tino on November 4, which consequently loosened the compactness of the soil. Floodwaters brought down trees and boulders to several communities along the slopes of Mt. Kanlaon, affecting almost 800,000 individuals.
The DENR further explained that the floods in Canlaon City were caused by a combination of torrential rainfall and the presence of volcanic debris on the slopes of Mt. Kanlaon.
Fabre concluded that the excessive rainwater eroded and mobilized the loose volcanic materials, transforming the water into fast-moving, dense currents of mud and debris that cascaded down the volcano’s gullies and major river channels.
