Mandaue City prepares early for Mawar

Mandaue City has already laid out some preparations in case typhoon Mawar will bring heavy rains and consequent floods and landslides.   | CDN file

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Mandaue City’s disaster office will conduct a Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment on Wednesday afternoon, May 24, in preparation for typhoon Mawar.

Mawar is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday, May 26.

The Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment will be attended by the city’s response cluster which includes the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), City Social Welfare and Services, Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, and Bureau of Fire and Protection among others.

CDRRMO head Buddy Alain Ybañez, said that although typhoon Mawar is not likely hit Mandaue City based on its typhoon track, they are still preparing for the possible heavy rains that can cause flooding and landslides.

“Atoang gipangandaman ron naa man tay hangin’g habagat, southwest monsoon, naay puruhan nga ma-aggravate na siya tungod sa typhoon Mawar,” said Ybañez.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Wednesday morning said that there is only a slim chance that the typhoon would make landfall in the country as its track is seen heading towards Taiwan and Japan.

READ: Typhoon Mawar may enter PAR by Friday, intensify into super typhoon – Pagasa

As of Wednesday, the CDRRMO is on blue alert, meaning all the agency’s personnel are on call.

Ybañez is also encouraging the public to throw their garbage properly after a few areas in the city that were not considered flood-prone before experienced flooding last Friday, May 20.

After inspection, it was found that clogged drainage due to garbage was the reason for the flooding, Ybañez added.

Ybañez said that they will ask the Department of General Services to clean the drainages.

Search and Rescue Teams

Meanwhile, the Mandaue City Police Office is also preparing for the possible effects of the typhoon.

MCPO Deputy City Director for Operations Police Lieutenant Colonel Franc Rudolf Oriol said that they are organizing search and rescue teams at the headquarters and at their six police stations.

The search and rescue equipment are also already being prepared and they are also closely coordinating with the CDRRMO.

“Mas maayo nang mangandam ta’ng daan kaysa ma-uwahi ta sa atoang mga actions in case nga moescalate ni’ng bagyo,” said Oriol.       /rcg

READ:

Slim chance super typhoon Mawar may make landfall in PH – Pagasa

Pagasa downgrades ‘Mawar’ into typhoon category

LPA alert: Mandaue to monitor rivers, risk areas