Baguio City cautions residents vs landslides due to Carina
2024-Jul-25 20:00
PRECAUTION. A landslide at Millsite in Camp 6 in Tuba town, Benguet province. The Baguio City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council on Wednesday urged residents in landslide prone areas to be observant and opt for preventive evacuation if they see signs of danger as the continuous rains from the southwest monsoon enhanced by Super Typhoon Carina dropped on Tuesday rainfall volume equivalent to what was recorded for most of the month of July. (Governor Melchor Diclas-Benguet Facebook page)
BAGUIO CITY – The City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) calls on residents from landslide prone areas to monitor their surroundings as drenched soil can increase their risks.
"We ask our residents not to hesitate to ask for help by calling 911 which is received by the emergency command center. Our evacuation centers are also ready to be used in case there are residents who will opt to transfer to the facility for their safety," said Julius Santos, of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (LDRRMO), during the City Hall Hour on Wednesday afternoon.
He explained that the amount of rainfall, caused by the southwest monsoon enhanced by Super Typhoon Carina, on Tuesday alone reached 299 millimeters, equivalent to what has been accumulated since the start of this month.
He said village officials have been issued memoranda to inform their residents living in landslide prone areas to opt for preemptive evacuation when they see cracks or anything they suspect will put their lives or their properties in danger.
Floods due to volume of rain, not clogged waterways
Santos also noted that the floods were caused mainly by the amount of rain and not primarily because of clogged drainages unlike in the past.
"We are thankful to the residents for not throwing garbage in canals. It is usually the cause of flooding but this time, there were none reported to have flooded due to accumulation of garbage," he said.
He also said that the City Engineering Office has checked the flooding along Marcos Highway and Naguilian Road to see if there is a need for installation of some engineering interventions to prevent the same in the future.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the CDRRMC recorded 12 landslide incidents, with major ones at Gabriela Silang, Quirino Hill and Bakakeng; four fallen trees, three clogged drainage, and eight electrical concerns as a result of the Southwest monsoon enhanced by Super Typhoon Carina.
No casualties or injuries were recorded in this city. (PNA)