Preemptive evacuation in province’s high risk areas possible

CEBU CITY, Philippines— The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has directed local DRRM offices in towns to conduct preemptive evacuation in high-risk areas while as rains brought by the surge of the southwest monsoon persists.

PDRRMO Chief Neil Angelo Sanchez said the LDRRMOs have been alerted for the possible rise of water in risk areas such as riverbanks while scattered to widespread rains are expected.

Pagasa earlier warned that rain-induced landslides may be possible since soils are now saturated from the past days of downpour.

In Cebu City, four separate landslides occurred following the downpour on Tuesday, September 15, 2020.

READ: 68 Cebu City residents displaced by landslides that hit Tuesday night

The state weather bureau said the gloomy weather in Cebu is brought by the surge of Habagat, which was intensified by Tropical Storm Leon.

As of 2 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, Pagasa downgraded the rainfall alert in Cebu to the yellow level from the orange alert that was earlier hoisted over the province this morning.

Read: Cebu City police creates team to monitor landslide-prone areas

“[The rise of water in rivers is expected] especially with the rains. Ganihang morning, we were under orange alert although na-downgrade siya to yellow rainfall alert. In fact, apil s among advisory was to conduct preemptive evacuation sa mga risk areas, mga families living near the river banks,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez said that while every municipality has its identified risk areas, the PDRRMO is also giving a closer look at the areas in the province that are prone to landslides and flooding and those that have active rainfall alerts.

Sanchez also advised fisherfolk and those living in the coastal communities to be more cautious and refrain from sailing even if Pagasa has not issued any gale warning yet. /bmjo