Manila: As the country braces for heavy rains due to Tropical Storm Dante, Tropical Depression Emong, and the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) on Wednesday urged hazard-risk local government units (LGUs) across the country to identify danger zones and act swiftly to protect lives. The DENR-MGB issued a report on the list of identified flood and rain-induced landslide (RIL) prone barangays due to Dante, Emong, and the habagat, valid until 8 a.m. on Friday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the report, based on updated rainfall forecasts from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and the geohazard map, shows that some provinces in the country are expected to receive as much as 150 mm of rain in just three days, enough to trigger flash floods and landslides, especially in already vulnerable communities. It also flagged several low-lying barangays in Metro Manila susceptible to deep flooding.
In the National Capital Region (NCR), the DENR-MGB reported that 1,403 barangays, including parts of Quezon City, Manila, Valenzuela, Caloocan, and Pasay, have been flagged for their moderate to high susceptibility to flooding and even landslides, particularly those situated near rivers, creeks, and hilly terrain. High-risk barangays in QC include Bagong Silangan, Batasan Hills, Tatalon, Roxas District, Commonwealth, and San Bartolome; barangays Coloong, Wawang Pulo, Isla, and Tagalag in Valenzuela City; and barangays 176, 188, and 164 in Caloocan City. The DENR-MGB identified these communities situated in or near riverbanks, waterways, and slopes, putting them at risk to sudden surges.
Several provinces in the country have also been identified by the DENR-MGB, including 4,954 barangays in Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Ilocos Region, and the Cordillera Administrative Region. Occidental Mindoro, Benguet, Zambales, Antique, and Guimaras were forecast to have the highest number of barangays, with over 80 percent of the population expected to experience rainfall in the next three days. The MGB warned that landslides are more likely after heavy rainfall, especially in upland barangays and communities built along slopes or near creeks.
LGU officials, as well as residents, were urged to prepare 'go bags,' monitor official weather advisories, and avoid crossing flooded roads or staying near unstable slopes. The MGB has released detailed barangay-level risk maps and safety guidelines, accessible via its website, and QR codes shared with LGUs. It also underscored that preparedness and quick response save lives, as it urges everyone to evacuate before it is too late, and not to wait for the water to rise, or the ground to move. The agency urged the public to be aware of the geohazards in their area, and to check MGB-published geohazard maps that are uploaded in its portal tinyurl.com/MGB-Geohazard-Portal and the DOST-PHIVOLCS GeoriskPH's HazardHunterPH.
