At least 3,124 villages in Eastern Visayas (Region 8) have been warned of possible flooding and landslides due to Typhoon Odette, according to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).
MGB Region 8 senior geologist Rodrigo Jay Miralles said the updated list of highly-susceptible villages has been shared with local government units to facilitate pre-disaster planning activities.
“This does not mean that the entire village (is) prone to flooding or landslide. There is only a certain part of the village that is at risk,” Miralles told reporters on Wednesday.
These villages are located in the provinces of Southern Leyte, Northern Samar, Leyte, and Eastern Samar.
The MGB advised the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committees to coordinate with their City or Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils to plan for any emergency, including identification of safe and suitable evacuation centers.
“Heavy rains that we have experienced since last week due to the shear line have caused high soil saturation in many parts of the region. Rains that will be dumped by this upcoming typhoon will further increase the vulnerability of these areas to floods and landslides,” Miralles added.
A shear line is “a narrow corridor along which there is an abrupt change in the horizontal component of the wind.”
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned of a heavy downpour due to the storm on Wednesday.
In a flood advisory, the weather bureau identified several rivers in six provinces that would likely be affected by the downpour.
These are Sangputan, Palo, Solano, Daguitan, Marabong, Cadacan, Bongquirogon, Salug, Pagbanagaran, Pagsangahan, and Binahaan in Leyte; and Catarman, Bugko, Pambujan, Catubig, Palapag, Mano, and Gamay in Northern Samar.
Other rivers include Oras, Dolores, Ulot, Taft, Borongan, Suribao, Llorente, Balangiga, and Sulat in Eastern Samar; Basey, Silaga, Calbiga, and Jibatan in Samar; Bisay, Himbangan, and Pandan in Southern Leyte; and all river systems in Biliran.
People living in low-lying areas near these river systems have been advised to stay alert for possible flash floods.
Those residing near mountain slopes have been told to watch out for signs of landslides.
Source: Philippines New Agency