CEBU CITY, Philippines – Residents in low-lying areas and on mountain slopes around Central Visayas have been advised to take precautionary measures due to threat of floods and landslides, as a low pressure area looms over north Coron in Palawan.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) 7, an agency under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, on Tuesday, September 26, urged residents in those areas to take actions, including preemptive evacuations, as heavy rains could trigger land movement and overflowing of rivers.
As of September 26, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Atmospheric Services Administration (PAGASA) said the weather disturbance eyed in Coron will threaten Central Visayas with moderate to occasional heavy rains.

“People living in low-lying areas and in mountain slopes should be warned of possible flood and landslides,” said MGB 7 Director Loreto Alburo.

MGB 7 has identified 789 barangays in Central Visayas that are highly susceptible to landslide and flooding. These include at least 41 barangays that are susceptible to flood and 22 barangays prone to landslide in Cebu City. In Mandaue City, 28 barangays have been identified as flood-prone.

For the entire Central Visayas, the towns idenfified as critical include:

Bohol – Alicia, Anda, Batuan, Bien Unido, Bilar, Buenavista, Calape, Candijay, Carmen, Catigbian, Dagohoy, Danao, Dimiao, Duero, Garcia Hernandez, Guindulman, Inabanga, Jagna, Loon, Mabini, Pilar, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Sagbayan, San Isidro, San Miguel, Sierra Bullones, Talibon, Trinidad, Ubay, and Valencia

Cebu – Alcantara, Alegria, Aloguinsan, Argao, Asturias, Badian, Balamban, Barili, Bogo City, Boljoon, Carcar, Carmen, Cebu City, Compostela, Consolacion, Daanbantayan, Dalaguete, Danao City, Dumanjug, Ginatilan, Liloan, Malabuyoc, Mandaue City, Medellin, Moalboal, Oslob, Pinamungahan, Poro, Ronda, Samboan, San Francisco, Sibonga, Sogod, Tabuelan, Toledo City, Tuburan, and Tudela.

Negros Oriental – Amlan, Ayungon, Bacong, Bais City, Basay, Bayawan City, Bindoy, Dauin, Dumaguete City, Guihulngan City, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Pamplona, San Jose, Santa Catalina, Siaton, Sibulan, Tanjay City, Tayasan, Valencia, and Zamboanguita.

The MGB 7 has also advised local government units to activate their disaster brigades and refer to the geohazard maps that were forwarded by the bureau to forewarn residents in areas that are most likely to be affected.

The geohazard map identifies the areas susceptible or vulnerable to geological hazards. The maps were distributed to the local government units as a reference for their local development planning and disaster resilience programs to mitigate the impact of these events.
In Cebu City, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) issued a landslide alert as heavy downpour continued to pound the city for several days already.

CDRRMO chief Nagiel Bañacia ordered all barangays in the city to activate their Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils and monitor the flood and landslide prone areas in their respective AOR.

Bañacia also urged barangay officials to put all responders on standby. – Source: Rappler.com