‘Ester’ causes floods, landslides in Bicol

By Connie Calipay | Philippines News Agency

LEGAZPI CITY – At least six flooding incidents and a landslide were reported in the provinces of Camarines Sur and Albay on Saturday, according to the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol (OCD-5).

Gremil Alexis Naz, OCD-5 spokesperson, said in an interview that heavy rains were spawned by Tropical Depression Ester, which was earlier located east of Itbayat, Batanes.

“Affected municipalities are Nabua, Baao and Buhi in the province of Camarines Sur, and Guinobatan, in the province of Albay,” he said.

Naz said five roads in the municipalities of Nabua, Baao, and Buhi in Camarines Sur were reported impassable due to flooding.

“We are continuously monitoring and coordinating with the disaster risk reduction management offices of the affected provinces,” he said.

OCD Bicol advised local government units with high susceptibility to flood and landslide to monitor updates and implement countermeasures.

As of the 11 a.m. bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), there is no tropical cyclone wind signal yet but moderate to at times heavy rains are expected in the next 24 hours over several provinces in the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila, and Visayas due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by “Ester” and Tropical Storm Songda, which is still outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility. – gb

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