While thousands were feared dead in the landslide in St. Bernard town, Southern Leyte, lives and properties in Oriental Negros were spared when a landslide hit Sitio Calambuan, Barangay Ilaya, Tayasan town, barely two hours after the Leyte tragedy, Friday.

Tayasan is located 90 kilometers north of Dumaguete City, the capital of the province while the landslide site is approximately 2.5 kilometers from the highway.

The affected area is approximately 2.5 hectares.

Reports disclosed that cracks had developed on top of the mountain, as a result of torrential rains that blocked the passage of water of the Ilaya River, near an all-weather road linking barangays Nabilog and Tambo in Ayungon town.

The incident occurred at about noon Friday.

To reach the area, one has to walk for more than 1.5 kilometers. Dario Amistoso, who lives nearby, said he saw the boulders rolling down the hills.

Huge boulders, soil and mud covered the Ilaya River, but no casualty was reported, except for minor damages on portions of the mountain which were utilized as farmlots.

Reports said that a lake-like body of water was formed in the upper stream of the river because of the blockade.

Ilaya Barangay Captain Richard Dayucos said he is very apprehensive that the accumulated water will give way and cause heavy flooding in the lowlands directly affecting barangays Ilaya and Palaslan.

The water had accumulated the past days in the lake-like body of water because there is a waterfall near the area.

Unmindful of the imminent danger, local residents, including children and people from the town, flocked to the area to swim as they refer to the place as potential tourist destination.

Gov. George Arnaiz and provincial engineer Susano Ruperto, accompanied by Dayucos, inspected the area Saturday afternoon.

Arnaiz sent bulldozers and a backhoe to complement those of the town of Tayasan in clearing the river passage.

He also sent representatives from the National Irrigation Administration and the Department of Agriculture to determine the possibility of constructing a water impounding project in the affected area Dayucos recalled that, in 1983, scores died in his barangay due to overflowing floodwaters wrought by super typhoon "Nitang."*JG

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