NEGROS OCCIDENTAL -- Six individuals were hurt after they fell into a sinkhole that appeared in the middle of a basketball court in Purok Jalandoni, Barangay Oringao, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental Thursday.
The hole, which is around three meters in diameter and around 12-foot deep, has a narrow entry and a wide base.
One of the victims, Jhoenavelie Centinales, was with her 4-year-old daughter when she went near the area to look for her brother and son.
She accidentally fell inside the hole, with her brother and son also inside.
Her husband and another brother tried to help them but also fell into the hole.
Centinales said they did not see the hole on the ground because it was dark.
They were all brought to the hospital, but no one suffered from any serious injuries.
Kabankalan City Mayor Isidro Zayco immediately ordered local officials to cordon off the area to ensure the safety of the residents.
He also requested the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to investigate how the sinkhole suddenly appeared in the area.
MGB Regional Director Leo Van Juguan said the hole may have been a result of water flowing underground.
The sinkhole is considered as a geological hazard, and he advised the local government not to cover the hole since he has requested students from the University of the Philippines (UP) to study it.
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