General flood advisory issued for Central, Western Visayas
Dumaguete City -- The weather bureau has issued a general flood advisory for Central and Western Visayas following the development of an active low pressure area at 2 am yesterday (October 27).
The active low pressure was estimated at 990 kms east of Bicol region with diffused tail end of cold front affecting Luzon.
PAGASA forecasts a moderate to heavy rainfall for the next 24 hours.
In Negros island, the weather bureau warned that rivers and streams likely to be affected are Ilog River, Hilabangan River, Binalbagan River and Bago River.
The advisory said that also likely to be affected are tributaries and other nearby rivers of the said river basins.
According to the local Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here, Hilabangan River has a tributary river along the boundary of Tayasan town and Negros Occidental.
Other rivers likely to be affected in Central and Western Visayas according to PAGASA are Balamban River in Cebu; Aklan River in Aklan; Jalaud River and Jalaur River in Iloilo; Panay, Mambusao and Panay Malinao rivers in Capiz; Sibalom River in Antique; and Inabanga River in Bohol.
The local disaster coordinating councils in the said areas are advised to take appropriate actions and be alert for possible flashfloods and landslides.
Based on records from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) here, flood-prone areas in the province are Bayawan City, Sta. Catalina, Siaton, Zamboanguita, Dumaguete City, Tanjay City, Sibulan, Bais City, Guihulngan and La Libertad while landslide-prone areas are Sta. Catalina, Bayawan City, Siaton and Tayasan.
Allen Cabaron, chief of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) here, urged local government units in the province to be alert and ready for any disaster incidents.
He lamented that the tendency of some local government units is to be lax in their disaster contingency measures. "Let's not wait until disaster strikes," Cabaron said, as he urged local chief executives to be pro-active and not reactive.
He disclosed that there are more than 30 Civil Defense Deputized Coordinators (CDDCs) in Negros Oriental, led by Board Member Arturo Umbac as the Provincial CDDC.
Some mayors have designated more than one CDDC in their area.
Cabaron explained that CDDCs are designated by local chief executives to serve as focal persons at the local government unit level for disaster management activities.
"The CDDCs are regularly trained on disaster preparedness during OCD's quarterly region-wide seminars for more than 100 CDDCs in Region 7," he said.
(PIA/RMN)