THE Office of the Civil Defense (OCD)-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) warned the public of flooding and landslides as the amount of rainfall in the region exceeded the normal level due to the southwest monsoon.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geographical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said their monitoring at the Baguio Synoptic Station showed that rainfall from August 10 to 24 reached 1,404.77 millimeter (mm).
This exceeded the normal level of 905 mm a month.
OCD added continuous rain can trigger landslides and flashfloods in the region.
“Local disaster risk reduction municipal councils are advised to heighten alert and take necessary actions as soon as possible and the public is alerted against hazards brought about by the aforementioned weather systems. Preemptive evacuation is strongly recommended. Be updated with the latest weather bulletins,” the OCD said in its bulletin.
The OCD noted one of the devastative cyclones in region was Typhoon Pepeng in 2009 that recorded more than 900mm which badly hit the Benguet province.
PAGASA forecasts monsoon rains may still prevail until next week. Aside from southwest monsoon or habagat, thunderstorms are also bringing rains over some parts of CAR.
According to the latest report from OCD, there are now 67 landslides reported in Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Baguio City with 11 roadslips due to erosion in Baguio, Apayao, Benguet, and Mountain Province. There are also eight areas where rivers and creeks have been reported to have swelled and three incidents of flooding.
Affected families have reached to 3,477 or 15,019 individuals with Abra having the highest at 3,233 families or 14,001 individuals followed by Benguet with 178 families or 718 individuals, and Mountain Province with 66 families or 300 individuals.
The OCD reports provinces of Ifugao, Apayao, Kalinga have yet to submit reports on damage.
Damages reported by the Department of Agriculture (DAR) reached to more than P106 million with crop havoc at P92 million, livestock at P640,280, facilities at P1.9 million, and fisheries at P1.2 million.
Lacub town in Abra has reported more than P10 million worth of damages in agriculture and infrastructure.
As of Saturday, August 25, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported the Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Road was closed to traffic due to roadslips at Barangy Beckel, La Trinidad.
The DPWH also reported an on-going clearing along Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Road due to fallen trees at Sitio Guisset in Itogon and at Sitio Banao, Barangay Ambuklao, Bokod with one lane open.
The Baguio-Bua-Itogon Road is likewise closed to traffic due to landslide at Sitio Kiangan Village, Barangay Ucab,Itogon.
Kennon Road is closed to traffic due to bridge construction at Camp 5 as well as the Gurel-Bokod-Kabayan-Buguias-Abatan Road due to mudslide at Sitio Bileng, Barangay Duacan,Kabayan.
One lane is open along Asin-Nangalisan-San Pascual Road at Barangay Tadiangan, Tuba due to an on-going manual clearing.