By Perla Lena | Philippine News Agency
ILOILO CITY – Around 41 barangays in this city are under close monitoring for possible flooding due to a low pressure area (LPA) that brings moderate to heavy rains in Western Visayas.
City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CDRRM) officer Donna Magno, in an interview on Friday (April 8), said the risk comes in varying degrees but the usual areas most affected during heavy rains are those in the coastal and low-lying barangays of the City Proper, and Molo Districts.
Renz Louiz Baquiano, team leader of the operations center of the CDRRM office, said that they are also closely monitoring Barangay Calubihan in Jaro and coastal barangays since these experience flooding during the southwest monsoon.
“They are advised to immediately coordinate with us if they observe rising level of water in their areas so we can immediately respond,” he said in an interview.
Baquiano added that evacuation centers are ready in case there is a need to move affected families.
“As of now we have not received information of barangays that are already flooded,” he said.
Four flood sensors with early warnings are also installed in Barangays Calubihan and Hamungaya and at the Jalandoni bridge to notify residents of the increasing water level.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas has earlier ordered all barangay DRRM councils to make an inventory of their equipment, welfare goods, and other life-saving equipment in preparation for the hazard to be caused by the heavy rains.
“Monitor and inspect low-lying areas and conduct risk assessment to flood-prone and rain-induced landslide prone barangays,” the mayor said.
The LPA, as per weather advisory number 8 is embedded along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Visayas and Mindanao.
It is expected to bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains over the Visayas regions, except for Eastern Visayas which is expected to experience moderate to heavy rains, in the next 24 hours. (PNA)
– ag
