Cebu City sends heavy equipment to landslide-prone areas for super typhoon Betty

Cebu City’s disaster risk reduction agency has prepositioned heavy equipment to landslide-prone areas such as Barangay Busay in preparation for Super Typhoon Betty.    | photo from Councilor Joel Garganera

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) has prepositioned heavy equipment for landslide-prone areas in the city as part of its preparations for the effects of Super Typhoon Betty.

CCDRRMO head Harold Alcontin told CDN Digital that they have raised Blue Alert since Wednesday, May 24, 2023, which means that all disaster responders are on standby.

“Nag preposition na tag mga heavy equipment didto sa bukid…sa Barangay Mabini ug Barangay Sudlon, nagbutang tag backhoe, loader ug dump truck. Sa SRP naa sad tay usa ka backhoe and three dump trucks,” he said,

“In case og naa tay mga debris diri sa ubos, naay maka respond. We also have 15 ambulances nga (on standby) sa Cebu City,” he added.

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Alcontin said these ambulances are deployed in strategic locations, such as Barangays Talamban, Tisa, Labangon, Pardo, Mambaling, and at the Cebu City Hall.

The CCDRRMO has also activated its incident command system for monitoring weather updates and incident reports all over the city.

Alcontin, however, said the CCDRRMO has not yet implemented any pre-emptive evacuation.

“Wala pa tay preemptive evacuation kay sa atoang forecasting di man g’yod inana kakuan pa sa pagkakaron…Usa sad aware na ang atoang mga barangays, in terms of flood prone areas nila. Ang atoang mga barangays naa tay gi assign nga 10 kabuok responders at the same time, ato na sad gipaactivate ang ilang barangay disaster committee to closely monitor sa atoang mga advisories sa Pagasa,” Alcontin said.

This posted infographic of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau shows what to do prior, during, and after landslides.

Alcontin said the barangays were already briefed to prepare their gymnasiums and evacuation centers should evacuation be necessary in case of intense rains and heavy flooding.

The state weather bureau, Pagasa, earlier said that Super Typhoon Betty will have no direct effects on the country, and has a slim chance of making landfall.

However, the super typhoon will enhance the Habagat or Southwesterly winds which could bring about rain in the Visayas, including Cebu City and Metro Cebu.

Cebu City has been suffering from landslides, especially in its mountain barangays whenever there are typhoons or prolonged rains.        /rcg

READ:

Pagasa: Floods, landslides possible in Visayas, Southern Luzon due to TD Amang

Landslide displaces 39 individuals in Busay, Cebu City