BY GLENDA TAYONA & IME SORNITO
ILOILO City – A total of 614 barangays in Western Visayas are susceptible to landslides and flooding due to continuous rains, according to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region 6.
Since Tuesday night, May 30, the region has been experiencing heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon “Betty.”
Most of these flood- and landslide-prone areas are in Antique province with 505 barangays, followed by Iloilo with 73, Aklan (21), and Guimaras (15).
As of 10 a.m. yesterday, no flooding or landslide incidents were recorded based on the monitoring of the provincial and highly-urbanized cities’ disaster risk reduction and management offices (DRRMOs), according to Cindy Ferrer, spokesperson of Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6 and 24/7 Operations Unit head of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (RDRRMC) Emergency Operations Center.
Nevertheless, Ferrer said the public are advised to be prepared always as moderate to at times heavy rains are still expected in the coming days.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)-Iloilo, in its Heavy Rainfall Warning at 5 p.m. yesterday, issued the following:
* Red Warning Level for Aklan and Antique as serious flooding is expected in low-lying areas and landslides in mountainous areas;
* Orange Warning Level for Iloilo and Guimaras as flooding is threatening low-lying areas and landslides in mountainous areas; and
* Yellow Warning Level for Capiz and northern portion of Negros Occidental where flooding is possible in low-lying areas and landslides in mountainous areas.
Considering these developments, RDRRMC chairman and OCD-6 officer-in-charge Ma. Aletha Nogra advised the public and DRRMOs concerned to take all necessary measures to protect life and property.
“Persons living in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards are advised to follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials,” said Nogra.
In Iloilo province, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) cautioned residents near the coasts, rivers or mountains following heavy rains.
Dr. Jerry Bionat, PDRRMO head, said those in landslide- and flood-prone areas should be on alert and regularly monitor the weather through the PAGASA.
“Ang panugyan sa ngalan ni Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., sa gihapon ang ara sa kilid sang baybayon nga indi anay magpalayag nga malayo gid especially didto sa northern Iloilo kag ang sa kilid sa kasubaan kag kabukiran, kilid sang baybayon, nga mag-aligmat,” said Bionat in an interview with Panay News yesterday.
MGB-6 identified over 70 landslide- and flood-prone areas in the province, and these are in the towns of San Joaquin and Miag-ao:
* San Joaquin – Igcondao, Igcores, Igdagmay, Igdomingding, Iglilico, Igpayong, Jawod, Langca, Langauanan, Lawigan, Lomboyan, Lopez Vito, Mabini Norte, Mabini Sur, Maninila, Cadoldolan, Camaba-an, Camia, Cata-an, Cubay, Cumarascas, Dadacanan, Danawan, Doldol, Dongoc, Escalantera, Ginot-an, Igbangcal, Igbinangon, Igburi, Igcabutong, Igcadlum, Amboy-an, Andres Bonifacio, Antalon, Bad-as, Balabago, Baybay, Bolbogan, Bucaya, Bulho, Cadluman, Igcaratong, Masagud, Matambog, Mayunoc, Montinola, Nadsadan, Nagquirisan, Nagsipit, New Gumawan, Panatan, Pitogo, Purok 5, Qui-anan, Roma, San Luis, San Mateo Norte, San Mateo Sur, Santa Rita, Santiago, Sinogbuhan, Siwaragan, Talagutac, Tiglawa, Tiolas, Toog, Torocadan, and Ulay.
* Miag-ao – Alimodias and Dalije
Bionat said while the province is not affected by Typhoon “Betty”, the southwest monsoon brings heavy rains that could last until October.
“Mag-aligmat, maghanda kag makig-angut sa aton barangay officials,” he said.
In the meantime, the PDRRMO does not conduct preemptive evacuations because no typhoon signal has been hoisted in the province.
As of this writing, a total of 1,229 families in the region composed of over 4,000 individuals have preemptively evacuated.
Typhoon “Betty” was forecast to gradually accelerate yesterday through today while moving generally northward over the waters east of Batanes, although some wobbling in its movement is possible in the near term (e.g., next 12 hours). Afterwards, the typhoon will turn more northeastward beginning this afternoon or evening.
On the forecast track, “Betty” will exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) tonight or early Friday morning./PN
