Experts from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology in Manila said the free board of the craters’ walls of the twin Lakes in Balinsasayao are still so high, and that, apprehensions of a spillover, is still not possible.

The inspection was conducted in the wake of apprehensions of massive floodings in the lowlands of Sibulan, San Jose , Amlan and even Dumagute City and Bacong, should the walls of the twin Lakes in Balinsasayao collapse due to movements of the earth.

Dr. Arturo Daag, chief of the geology division of the Phivolcs in Manila, said he had an exit conference with Gov. Roel Degamo to make an initial report about the results of their inspection.

Daag said minor landslides that occurred along the road leading to the twin lakes are caused by typhoon “Sendong” and not by the most recent earthquake.

He said the free board of the craters’ wall is still so high and is not in a spilling level. Even with Sendong’s strong rains, the water level of the Lake may have increased a little but is slowly returning to normal.

Earlier, former Secretary Angel Alcala identified two critical areas as priority for geo-hazard mapping, that includes Cuernos de Negros which is an active volcano and the Balinsasayao twin lakes .

Alcala said if faults are found that could trigger a rupture on the lakes’ walls allowing water to seep and eventually result in the collapse of the walls, but this probability is not known, although possible, he said.

Meanwhile, Degamo had requested some media friends to be responsible in reporting delicate matters that would result in a panicky situation.

The governor was told of a so-called “sleeping time bomb” in the second district, referring to the impending collapse of the walls of the twin Lakes in Balinsasayao.

He said some media personnel in Dumaguete are creating a scenario to unduly alarm the public and taken advantage of by detractors.

Degamo reminded them that they can be sued for alarms and scandal and can order their arrest following President Benigno Aquino III’s pronouncement while in Dumaguete, when a tsunami occurrence was maliciously released to the public through a text message.

Due to the text message then, people rushed to Tierra Alta which is a higher ground, creating a panic and traffic jams.*JG

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