THE Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) will conduct the second Riverwide Flood Simulation Exercise (SIMEX) in five barangays downstream of the Lipadas River System to prepare for possible major flooding incidents.
The SIMEX will be conducted at 2 p.m. on September 21.
Lyndon Ancajas, Head of the Administration and Training Division of the CDRRMO, said the five barangays were identified based on the city’s flood hazard map.
The barangays include Crossing Bayabas, Marapangi, Lisada, Lubogan, and Sirawan. These barangays are more vulnerable should the Lipadas River overflow due to heavy rain in the highlands.
A flooding scenario caused by the overflowing of the Lipadas River will be simulated during the exercise.
Ancajas said that by 2 p.m. they will release an advisory that there are heavy rains in the uplands of the Lipadas River. Then at 2:10 pm, another advisory will be released that the water in the Lipadas River is in Code Orange, followed by a Code Red advisory at 2:20 p.m., and by 2:30 p.m. forced evacuation will be imposed.
“Atoa gyud main purpose ani is for the communities to learn, nga masabtan nila, makabalo sila unsaon pagpangandam ‘pag naa’y muabottay nga baha ug unsa ilahang buhaton inig baha na (The main purpose of the SIMEX is for the communities to learn, for them to understand and know how to prepare for major flooding incidents, and during flooding incidents),” he explained in an interview with At Your Service over the city-owned Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR).
The city is already equipped with early warning systems, disaster response mechanisms, ordinances for preemptive evacuation, and trained responders. The SIMEX will address the community's preparedness and cooperation during disasters.
Ancajas added that the SIMEX will help evaluate the community’s understanding of the city’s early warning system and remind them what to do before, during, and after a flooding incident.
The SIMEX will also help evaluate the city’s flood response capacity, as well as identify aspects that need to be improved.
“Ang purpose sa SIMEX is we will also learn unsa’y bag-o nga strategy diri. Paghuman ana, magreview mi sa nahitabo then we will have an idea karon nga mao gyud ni ang best move or strategy (Through the SIMEX, we can also identify new strategies for the area. After the exercise, we will review the events so that we can have an idea of the best move or strategy to implement should the Lipadas River overflow),” Ancajas said.
The CDRRMO regularly conducts training, orientations, and seminars for disaster preparedness. Every year, starting in 2023, the CDRRMO has been implementing riverwide flood SIMEX every September.
Dabawenyos, especially those living in the identified barangays for the SIMEX, are urged to participate and cooperate with their respective barangay and the CDRRMO.
The CDRRMO also continues to remind Dabawenyos that disaster preparedness is a shared responsibility among the citizens. CIO