TABUK CITY, Kalinga (PIA) — Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (DRRMCs) are urged to be wary of dangers posed by ground saturation due to the successive tropical cyclones experienced in the Cordillera region.
The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD)-Cordillera reiterated the call to conduct pre-emptive and mandatory evacuations especially in areas most at risk of landslides and floods as the Cordillera braces anew for another tropical cyclone just days after being affected by Typhoon ‘Nika’.
“We just keep on echoing this kasi sabi ni SILG(Secretary of the Interior and Local Government) and eto ‘yung naging solusyon kaya tayo zero casualty,” OCD-Cordillera Regional Director Albert A. Mogol said during the virtual Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment meeting for Typhoon ‘Ofel’ on Nov. 13, 2024.
“We have to take note that our river systems and mountain slopes are already saturated. This situation poses dangers to communities and families living nearby and these are at-risk areas. Let us facilitate again pre-emptive evacuation as need arises,” Mogol emphasized.
In Kalinga, 104 out of its 153 barangays are susceptible to rain-induced landslides and flooding, based on the list released by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Cordillera derived from the state weather bureau’s rainfall data.
As of 5:00 a.m. of Nov. 15, the province of Kalinga remains under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 due to typhoon Ofel. Wind speeds ranging from 62 to 39-61 km/h is expected in 36 hours, posing minor threat to life and property. Another tropical cyclone named ‘Pepito’ has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility. (JDP/IOS-PIA CAR, Kalinga)
