Cebu City prepares for heavy rain

A shot of Fuente Osmeña on a gloomy Tuesday morning in Cebu City. CDN Digital photo | Futch Anthony Inso

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Although a storm signal has been raised only for Northern Cebu towns, Cebu City is still preparing for the possibility that heavy rains may pour down on Central Cebu due to Tropical Storm Dante.

Ramil Ayuman, the administrative head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) said that since the path of the typhoon can be unpredictable, the city has to prepare for the possibility that its track may directly or indirectly affect Cebu City.

“Ready man ta anytime. Automatic na nga standby ang equipment, ready na sad atong engineering for anything that may happen,” said Ayuman.

(We’re ready anytime. All equipment are on standby, our engineering team is also ready for anything that may happen.)

The CDRRMO is concerned that heavy rains may once again soften the soil in the mountain barangays and cause landslides while rise of water in the rivers may also cause flooding.

Ayuman said that while the city is not placed under Blue Alert status yet, the CDRRMO staff is already monitoring on the weather and flood-prone and landslide-prone areas.

READ: Signal No. 1 up in north Cebu due to #Dante

Ayuman urges those living in these areas to be vigilant for any change in the weather and if the rains continue to pour or become heavy, he encourages them to preemptively evacuate.

The CDRRMO has also notified all-mountain barangays to monitor their disaster-risk areas as well and to report any incident, minor or major, immediately for quick response.

The CDRRMO has kept an open line of communications and should the blue alert status, personnel can easily be called on to be on standby.

Ayuman said updates on the city’s situation will be discussed at 2 p.m. on Tuesday in a meeting with all disaster offices in Cebu in preparation for Tropical Storm Dante.

/bmjo