Baguio: The Office of Civil Defense in the Cordillera Administrative Region (OCD-CAR) on Tuesday advised residents to be on the lookout for oversaturated mountain soil as this may cause landslides and rockslides. "I-check po natin ang kapaligiran ng mga kabahayan natin para makita natin kung may nga gumuho at mga posible pang gumuho na lupa dahil basang-basa na po sa dami ng ulan na bumagsak sa atin (Let us check our surroundings to see if there are erosions or possible erosions especially following the heavy amount of rainfall we have experienced)," Frankie Cortes, OCD-CAR operations chief, said in a media interview.
According to Philippines News Agency, Cortes noted that the region has been experiencing an average of 50 to 100 millimeters of rainfall, even before Severe Tropical Storm Crising, which inundated many areas in Luzon over the weekend. State weather observer Mar Santos earlier reported the highest rainfall data recorded during Crising was 181.6 millimeters.
After Crising, the Cordillera Administrative Region, especially Baguio and Benguet, continued to experience intermittent heavy rains. Cortes earlier reported that the region has already recorded almost 40 landslides, rockslides, and soil collapse incidents on mountains, affecting properties and blocking roads.
On Saturday, boulders rolled down the mountain along Kennon Road in Benguet amid heavy rains, crushing a house and a car. On the same day, a landslide was reported at the Dalican National High School campus in Bontoc, Mountain Province. Cortes emphasized the importance of vigilance and immediate action, urging residents to report any signs of potential hazards and to conduct pre-emptive evacuations if necessary to ensure safety.
