XN000022-1992-09-09 — Page 2

1

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1992

BAGUIO VILLAS LANDSLIDE REPORT RELEASED

*

*

THE TECHNICAL INVESTIGATION REPORT COMPILED BY THE GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING OFFICE ON THE BAGUIO VILLAS LANDSLIDE WAS RELEASED TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, MR JAMES

BLAKE, SAID THE IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF THE LANDSLIDE WAS THE EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH INTENSITY OF RAINFALL WHICH CAUSED SOIL EROSION IN FRONT OF AN OLD MASONARY RETAINING WALL.

THE WALL FAILED BECAUSE OF LOSS OF SUPPORT CAUSED BY SOIL EROSION AND A BUILD-UP OF WATER PRESSURE BEHIND THE WALL.

POOR STRUCTURAL CONDITION OF THE WALL MIGHT ALSO HAVE

CONTRIBUTED.

THE AGE OF THE RETAINING WALL IS NOT KNOWN, BUT ITS EXISTENCE CAN BE TRACED BACK TO 1924.

THE WALL MAY WELL DATE BACK TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE AS A FARM IN THE 1880S AND REMAINED WITHIN THE OWNERSHIP OF DAIRY FARM UNTIL 1988 WHEN THE ESTATE WAS RETURNED TO THE GOVERNMENT.

PART OF THE ESTATE WAS THEN ALLOCATED ΤΟ THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TEMPORARY HOUSING AREA.

MR BLAKE SAID ALL OF THE INTERIM ENGINEERING WORKS TO PROTECT THE AFFECTED BUILDINGS HAD BEEN COMPLETED.

PERMANENT STABILISATION WORKS INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PROTECTIVE WALLS ON ADJACENT SLOPES AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM BELOW VICTORIA ROAD WILL BE COMPLETED DURING THE COMING DRY SEASON.

OF

USE OF BLOCK 26 OF BAGUIO VILLAS IS NOW FULLY RESTORED. ALL THE AFFECTED GOVERNMENT QUARTERS IN BLOCKS 43 AND 44, SAVE FIVE APARTMENTS ON THE LOWER FLOORS, ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR RE-OCCUPATION.

MR BLAKE SAID ANY QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LANDSLIDE WILL BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF FINDINGS OF AN IMPENDING INQUEST INTO THE TWO DEATHS INVOLVED IN THE LANDSLIDE TO BE HELD AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.

AS AN ADDITIONAL PRECAUTION, THE GOVERNMENT BEGAN A SYSTEMATIC SEARCH FOR SLOPES WITH THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS AS THE ONE ABOVE BAGUIO VILLAS SOON AFTER THE LANDSLIDE WHICH OCCURRED ON MAY 8, 1992.

/MR BLAKE