DAVAO CITY — Authorities here warned residents not to swim or go fishing activities along Davao River after a truck loaded with caustic soda, a hazardous chemical fell into a ravine at Sitio Lanitum, Barangay Suawan which is near the Suawan River, in Marilog District this city.
Caustic soda or sodium hydroxide is a substance commonly used for acid-base titration, cleaning, drain opener, paint remover, and catalytic activities, among others.
The chemical is a potentially dangerous substance and harmful at skin contact. The same chemical cases severe irritation of the upper respiratory tract, resulting in coughing, burns, and even breathing difficulties.
Alfredo Baluran, chief of Davao City Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) issued warning early today, August 2, 2022, for residents near the Davao River not to swim, go fishing and other related activities as the city is containing the extent of chemical spill in Suawan River which might affect the whole stretch
Baluran in an interview with Newsline said “We were informed that many fish along the river were killed even the eels floated, which means the chemical is really hazardous, we immediately advised residents not to make any activity in Davao River.”
The Marilog District Police Station in a spot report stated that at around 11:00 in the evening of August 1, a tanker truck with plate number CAH 6526 carrying caustic soda or Sodium Hydroxide fell into the ravine while avoiding a vehicle from the opposite site of the road..
Due to the incident, part of the hazardous chemical spilled into he steam which slowly cascaded to the Suawan River causing fish kill which alarmed Davao authorities.
Suawan River is one of the tributaries of Davao River, the The Davao River is the third largest river by drainage basin on the southern Philippines in Mindanao. It drains an area of over 1,700 square kilometres with a total length of 170 kilometres.
Investigation
Personnel from the Environment Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR) collected water sambles from Suawan River and other parts of Davao River. The result, the DENR said, will be out in five (5) days.
RESIDENTS FEAR
he residents were already asleep when they heard a loud burst and almost everyone went out of their house to check what happened and soon they discovered a truck rammed a power post and skip to the estimated 9-feet ravive.
Jocelyn Fuentes a resident near the river told Newsline Philippines in vernacular “The odor is so strong, the rescuers took time o rescue the driver and the helper because they need hazmat suit because it really stinks.”
Marjun Tambunan witnessed the fish floating at the river “Daghan kaayo nangamatay nga isda, mahadluk mi kay basin naa pay bahu unya masakit mi (I see many dead fish floating, we fear he effects of he odor we might get sick).
The residents, according to Marilyn, Tambunan’, are safe though, because they get their drinking water from a free flowing spring above the incident area and where they also wash their clothes.
Still the residents fear the effects of the chemical to the marine resources in Davao River which ultimately cascades to Davao Gulf.
The truck driver whom Marilog police as Paciano Flores Doydora, 38, died while his passenger Jerwin Tumiklas Guinandam is confined in a local hospital.-Editha Z. Caduaya
