Flood, landslide warnings persist as rains continue to batter S. Luzon, VisMin

Published January 12, 2023, 7:58 AM

by Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz

(SATELLITE IMAGE / PAGASA WEBSITE)

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned against flooding in low-lying areas and landslides in mountainous areas due to the prevalence of three rain-inducing weather systems—the low pressure area (LPA), shear line, and northeast monsoon

The LPA was last spotted 380 kilometers east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte at around 3 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12. 

Although the LPA has a slim chance of developing into a tropical depression in 24 hours, PAGASA said the combined effect of the LPA and shear line—a weather system brought about by the convergence of cold and warm air masses—may cause scattered to widespread rains and thunderstorms over Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands.

Those in these areas were warned against floods or landslides during moderate to intense rains.

Cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms may also affect Bicol Region, Romblon, and the rest of Visayas and Mindanao.

Flash floods or landslides during moderate to heavy rains are also possible in these areas.

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Furthermore, PAGASA said the northeast monsoon, locally called “amihan,” may bring cloudy and rainy weather in the Cagayan Valley, Aurora, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Palawan.

The rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, may experience partly cloudy to cloudy weather with light amihan rains.

Rainy weekend ahead

PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja said the LPA and shear line may continue to dampen parts of the country until the weekend.

By Friday, PAGASA expects the LPA to bring rains over a large portion of Visayas and Mindanao as the weather disturbance remains almost stationary near Caraga and Eastern Visayas.

Estareja said that rains will be more concentrated in Southern Luzon and Visayas as the LPA approaches these areas by weekend. 

Meanwhile, cloudy skies and light to moderate rains due to the shear line may prevail over Metro Manila by Friday.

“Over the weekend, expect more rains due to the close approach of the LPA. The trough or extension of the LPA, along with the shear line, may cause flooding in large parts of Metro Manila and nearby areas in Central Luzon and Calabarzon,” Estareja warned.

Torrential rain, flood continue to batter Eastern Visayas

Published January 11, 2023, 11:02 AM

by Marie Tonette Marticio, MB 

TACLOBAN CITY – Hundreds of families fled their homes and work and classes remain suspended in some areas in Eastern Visayas due to incessant rain and flood on Wednesday, Jan. 11. 

Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone appealed to the Department of Agriculture to provide rice-certified seeds to farmers as all of the crops in their province have been destroyed by flooding.

He called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development to distribute food to 12,101 individuals staying in evacuation centers.

All national roads in Eastern Samar are passable to all types of vehicles except in Barangay Bigo, Arteche, which remain flooded as of Wednesday morning.

Motorists from Arteche bound for Jipapad and vice versa may take the alternate route via Barangay Imelda, Lapinig- Jipapad Road.

Northern Samar Gov. Edwin Ongchuan extended the suspension of classes on all levels due to the inclement weather caused by a low-pressure area.

Landslides triggered by heavy flooding were reported in the municipalities of Catubig, Mondragon, Las Navas, Catarman, Laoang, Lope de Vega, and Mapanas. 

In Catubig, some residents rode boats on flooded streets as well as local government unit personnel who rescued families trapped in their homes.

Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan ordered the suspension of classes on all levels in public and private schools and work in all government offices.

Several vehicles were stranded by flood in a portion of the Maharlika Highway in Barangay Tulay in Santa Rita, Samar on Tuesday due to non-stop rain.

As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, the road was passable to all types of vehicles.

The municipalities of Caibiran, Cabucgayan, Maripipi, Almeria, Culaba, Kawayan, and Naval in Biliran province suspended work and classes.

Naval Mayor Gretchen Espina said some families from landslide-prone areas fled to the evacuation center in Barangay Larrazabal.

A section of the Biliran-Naval Road is impassable to all types of vehicles due to the Catmon Detour Bridge submerged by continuous heavy rain as of 7:40 a.m. Wednesday.

Motorists were advised to use the alternate routes Naval-Caibiran Cross Country Road-Caibiran-Cabucgayan-Biliran for light vehicles and Naval-Almeria-Kawayan-Culaba-Caibiran-Cabucgayan-Biliran for heavy vehicles.

Our future on Earth

My column in BUSINESSWEEK MINDANAO and MINDANAO DAILY NEWS.

Yes, it's again the topic, we should really think about. Our future, but especially our children's future. Also here in the Philippines. Here's anew string of examples, my dear readers. But, don't expect only good news. 

We're experiencing in the Philippines a mild El Nino right now. "Mild" - because we might not be able to the see the end of the tunnel. Yes, it's summer - but... .

Greenland, the great island is being called already the 'Land of Ice on fire'. Why? A recent report says the Arctic may be ice-free by 2040. The Antarctic is also melting, albeit far slower, and in a less regular pattern. 

Yes, the Arctic is melting much faster than expected, and could even be ice-free in summer by the late 2030's, a report from the Arctic Council's Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program suggests. Previous studies had forecast an ice-free North Pole in summer by mid-century. Wow.  Different reports - different views.

While the outlook is bleak for the Arctic, there is a silver lining for the Antarctic: As I said before, the ice is melting at a slower rate than previously thought. Although glacier flow has increased since the 1990's, scientists from University of Leeds have found the melting rate to be only around a third of what was previously projected. A section of a glacier in Greenland was seen from NASA's Operation IceBridge research aircraft along the Upper Baffin Bay coast on March 27, 2017.

Operation IceBridge studies the processes that link the polar regions with the Earth's climate system. Rapidly changing polar ice means researchers need to use highly sophisticated airborne technology to measure annual changes in thickness and movement - on board a retrofitted 1966 Lockheed P-3 aircraft.

But the Antarctic is still melting. And a rapidly advancing crack in its fourth-largest ice shelf could soon see one of the largest icebergs ever recorded in human history break off into the sea.Scientists agree that global warming causes both the ice in the North and the South Pole to melt. Air temperatures are climbing, and so are water temperatures. This makes the ice melt faster. The period of winter, where the water is actually cold enough to freeze, is getting shorter, which means ice floes are getting smaller.

Greenland, home to the world's largest permanent ice sheet outside Antarctica, was being swept by wildfires already two years ago.. Yes, the land of ice was on fire. A really breath away taking situation. Scientists are keep on saying global warming and increased plant cover are likely factors. 

Honestly folks, it really scares me although experts say it is too early to draw firm conclusions linking the wild fires from all over the world to climate change because no long-term data is available to put the blaze in context. However, unusually warm and dry conditions  could have been a factor.

Although the origin of the global blaze (especially Australia or California) is unclear - with lightening and a stray cigarette as possible suspects - what is clear is how it has been spreading across remote areas of grassland and low shrub.  And Greenland's is indeed getting greener and greener. It conjures images of white, frozen expanses. But Box says global warming means it's getting greener all the time. "There's a shorter snow-cover season, and that allows the plant life to expand," he explained.

The Arctic is heating up around twice as fast as the global average. At the same time, rainfall around the world is also increasing - and that trend as well is more present in the Arctic. "More rain is a widespread symptom of climate change," Box said. "You get more precipitation - and where you get the biggest increase is in the Arctic."

Fact is: Greenland's ice sheets melt, that contributes to sea level rise. And if we add North- and South Pole and their vanishing ice and snow? Then yes, also the Philippines are in danger. 

LIVE List: Flooded areas in Metro Manila

LIVE List: Flooded areas in Metro Manila, July 27

By Rosette Adel (philstar.com) | Updated July 27, 2017 - 9:50am

 25  289 googleplus0  0 

A commuter hops onto stones for a fee to avoid getting wet as heavy rains continue to inundate low-lying areas Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, in Manila, Philippines. Heavy rains continue to dump in Metropolitan Manila and nearby provinces forcing some residents to evacuate to higher grounds. AP /Bullit Marquez

MANILA, Philippines — As Tropical Storm Gorio and the southwest monsoon continue to prevail in the country, some areas experienced flooding on Thursday.

READ: 'Gorio' to enhance habagat, bring rains

The state weather bureau issued a yellow rainfall warning over Metro Manila, Cavite, and Bulacan and warned of flooding in low-lying areas.

It also said "Gorio" may intensify into a Severe Tropical Storm within the next 24 to 36 hours. PAGASA said the southwest monsoon will enhance the weather system and bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains over the western section of Luzon and light to moderate rains over the rest of Luzon and Visayas.

READ: Class suspensions for July 27

Below appears the list of flooded areas in Metro Manila.

Nation ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

Manila 

11:15 a.m. - P. Burgos Victorino East Bound - Flood has subsided, All lanes passable

11:15 a.m. - R. Papa both bound - Above gutter deep, Not passable to light vehicles

11:15 a.m. - Quirino Roxas Boulevard along Taft Avenue South Bound / North Bound - Gutter deep, Passable to all types of vehicles

Caloocan City

10:00 a.m. -  Balintawak Cloverleaf in front of St. Joseph Church North Bound - Flood has subsided, All lanes passable

Malabon City

10: a.m. - Tonsuya - Gutter deep

11: 40 a.m. - E. Aquino Street - Below Knee Deep

11: 40 a.m. - P. Bautista Street - Below Knee Deep

11: 40 a.m. - Encarnacion 

11:40 a.m. - Niugan Elementary School - Below Knee Deep 
Interior Street
11: 40 a.m. - N. Vicencio Street (Sarmiento Area) - Knee Deep

11:40 a.m. - N. Vicencio Street (Mallari Area) - Knee Deep 

11:40 a.m. - N. Vicencio Street (Chapel Area) - Below Knee Deep

11:40 a.m. - M. Aquino Street (Pilapil Area) - Above Knee Deep

11:40 a.m. - C. Santos Street (Pastrana Area) - Below Knee Deep 

11:40 a.m. - C. Santos Street (Legaspi Compound) - Knee Deep 

11:40 a.m. - C. Santos Street (Cruz Compound) - Knee Deep

Taguig City

11:15 a.m. - C5 near Market Market South Bound - Flood has subsided, All lanes passable

Quezon City

11:15 a.m. - Quezon City A. Bonifacio C3 South Bound /  North Bound - Gutter deep, Passable all types of vehicles

11:15 a.m. - Quezon City A. Bonifacio 11th Avenue South Bound / North Bound - Gutter deep, Passable to all types of vehicles

11:15 a.m. - G. Araneta / Victory Avenue East Bound / West Bound - Knee deep, Not passable to light vehicles

11:15 a.m. - EDSA Aurora Tunnel North Bound / South Bound - Gutter deep Passable to all types of vehicles

11:15 a.m. - Quezon Avenue Biak na Bato East Bound - Gutter deep, Passable all types of vehicles

11:15 a.m. - Quezon Avenue Biak na Bato West Bound - Half tire deep, Not passable to light vehicles

Makati City

6:01 a.m. - Dela Rosa Street - Gutter deep

6:01 a.m. - Fernando Street - Gutter deep

6:01 a.m. - Taylo Street - Two feet-deep

6:01 a.m. - Victor Street - Three inches-deep

6:01 a.m. - Pasong Tamo - Gutter deep

6:01 a.m. - Barangay Pio del Pilar - Gutter deep

6:01 a.m. - Barangay San Antonio and Lumbayao corner Camachile - Two to three inches-deep

6:01 a.m. - Sampaloc corner Estrella Street - Two to three inches-deep

6:01 a.m. - Malolos Street, Davila Street, Primo Rivera Street, Barangay Tejeros District 1 - Gutter deep

Valenzuela 

8:00 a.m. - MacArthur Highway Road Condition corner Pio Valenzuela (3-4 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles

8:00 a.m. - Savemore Marulas (6-7 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles

8:00 a.m. - Corner PhilGun (13-14 inches) -  Not passable to light vehicles

8:00 a.m. - Corner CJ Santos (7-8 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles

8:00 a.m. - MH Del Pilar 3S Malanday(7-8 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles

8:00 a.m. - MH Del Pilar cor Tiwala (4-5 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles

8:00 a.m. - Coloong 1 (4-5 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles

8:00 a.m. - Pinalagad (2-4 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles

8:00 a.m. - Karuhatan Market(18-19 inches) - Not passable to Light vehicles

8:00 a.m. - Maysan Road Condition corner CJ Santos (7-8 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles

Tropical Storm Linfa to Bring Flood Risk to Philippines

By Courtney Spamer, Meteorologist

July 3, 2015; 7:05 PM ET

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While the Philippines will escape Tropical Storm Chan-hom, which will eventually make a run at super typhoon status, the same cannot be said for Tropical Storm Linfa.

Tropical Storm Linfa formed early Friday morning local time in the southern Philippine Sea and remains on track to target Luzon Island of the Philippines with heavy rain this weekend.

Linfa will move into northern Luzon later this weekend as a strong tropical storm, but impacts to the inland will start sooner. Outer bands of heavy rain will reach Luzon's northeastern coast on Saturday before spreading westward through Sunday. Drenching rain will persist in northwestern Luzon on Monday.

"The biggest threat is flooding," stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards. "Rainfall amounts will generally be on the order of 75 to 150 mm (3 to 6 inches)."

There will be locally higher amounts with some communities being inundated with 300 mm (12 inches).

RELATED: 
AccuWeather Philippines Weather Center
AccuWeather.com Forecast for Bagio
West Pacific Typhoon and Tropical Center

Flood Risks in Davao City

DAVAO CITY -- Six areas here have been identified by the city government as having high risks of flooding during the wet season, including the neighborhood where the Indonesian Consulate is located.

“We will be ready by June when the rainy season comes, but there are areas which will be prone to flooding, so we are constantly monitoring them,” said Yusop Ahmad Jimlani, chief of the Drainage Management Unit (DMU).

The six areas that concern the DMU are those along the Magsaysay Boulevard, even if most sections of the road, one of the main highways in the city, have now been elevated. Five other areas are Torres Street, Bajada, parts of Agdao, those within the vicinity of Savemore in Matina, and the part of Ecoland where the Indonesian Consulate is.

Mr. Jimlani said the special group Task Force Drainage organized by the local government is set to discuss possible solutions to minimize the flooding risk.

Mr. Jimlani said potential flooding in these areas, especially around the Indonesian Consulate and Savemore, is due to the high concentration of informal settlers in the vicinity, some of whom have built structures that block the drainage outlets leading to the rivers.

The local official said the city government is considering the demolition of these illegal structures.

Currently, DMU workers are working around the clock to clear drainage pipes of debris.

Mr. Jimlani said the city has been accumulating too much waste and garbage disposal management needs to be improved with their team collecting up to 16 cubic meters of waste daily from canals and drainage pipes.

A study on the Business Risk Assessment and Management of Climate Change Impacts of 16 cities from 2011 to 2013 conducted by the World Wide Fund (WWF) shows that even if Davao City is located in a typhoon-free zone, it is susceptible to dangerous floods in areas adjacent to the city’s rivers.

There are several rivers that run through the city and drain into the Davao Gulf. The largest of these waterways are the Davao and Talomo Rivers where thousands of residents are most likely to be affected in case of flooding.

“Unless and until this rainfall trend reverses itself, it is likely that Davao’s growing economy will have to manage increased rainfall, river flow and flooding,” the WWF-Philippines said, adding that the city’s population has been on the rise due mainly to migration.

In the past 20 years, the city logged over 692,000 new inhabitants and registered the highest population growth rate of 2.88% compared to other cities, based on the WWF study.

Nonetheless, the study placed the city as the least vulnerable to climate change given that it still has significant land area for building “new livable satellite developments” and has time to plan and implement strategies such as “climate smart” zoning. -- 

By Carmencita A. Carillo, Businessworld Online Manila.

Flood in Davao and its Neighbours

DAVAO CITY – More than 5,000 families or 25,000 individuals have been affected by the flooding that hit riverside villages here following non-stop rain since Saturday night.

The city government has called off classes from kindergarten to high school, in both public and private schools, Monday as the city continues to assess the extent of the damage from one of the worst flooding the city has experienced in the past years.

Emmanuel Jaldon, the chief of the Davao City Disaster Risk and Management Council (DCDRMC), said local officials have issued the warning as early 9 p.m. Saturday because of the overflowing of the Tamugan river, one of the main tributaries of the Davao river.

As a result, at least 12 barangays (villages) lining down Davao river was submerged in flood.

Jaldon, however, said some residents who have already been used to floods, refused to evacuate, which was the reason some of them were trapped.

“The problem is their coping threshold, most of them have already experienced the worst of flooding, so, they just don’t evacuate until the waters reach critical level,” he said. “They still stayed on the second floor of their houses, believing they still have a second chance.”

Jaldon also said the rain still continues in the upland areas of Davao City, and that as of 2:30 p.m. Sunday, the water continues to rise.

Dante Donayre, operations chief of the DCDRMC, said that despite the disaster-preparedness training held for community leaders in the past, the disaster-preparedness is still wanting in the community level as elected barangay officials still fail to re-echo these in the communities.

Malou Bermudo, chief of the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO), said a total of 5,165 families from 12 city barangays affected by the flood are now in different evacuation centers; among them, are 2,700 families from Buhangin area, which covered the Jade Valley and Juliville Subdivisions.

Choreyn Mae Dumape, 20, a resident of Jade Valley who was rescued from the top of their house, said her parents were still inside the village.

“My parents are still there,” Dumape said, adding that the water rose at around 1 a.m. Sunday.

In Compostela Valley, at least 178 families have left their homes, even as authorities forced some residents to evacuation centers as water levels in major rivers there continue to rise, threatening low-lying communities, according to Raul Villocino, provincial disaster officer.

In neighboring Davao del Norte province, over 800 people have been evacuated overnight as floodwater swamped the rice-producing municipalities of Kapalong, Sto. Tomas, Braulio Dujali and Asuncion, said Romulo Tagalo, Davao del Norte assistant administrator.

Those evacuated, according to Villocino, included 129 families in the villages of Andap, Cogonon and Cabinuangan, in New Bataan, the town which suffered the most number of casualties in last December’s killer storm.

At least 37 families also headed to the evacuation centers in Basak and Magsaysay villages in Nabunturan, while 12 families from Sitio (Sub-village) Pag-ibig, in the mining village of Mt. Diwalwal in Monkayo town sheltered at the village hall due to fear of a landslide, the disaster official said.

Waist-deep floodwater has submerged most of Maniki village, the center of Kapalong town, forcing many residents to flee to safer grounds, Mayor Edgardo Timbol said. Germelina Lacorte, Dennis Jay Santos, Karlos Manlupig, Ayan C. Mellejor and Frinston L. Lim, Inquirer Mindanao

Floods, Floods, Floods - in The Philippines (and everywhere...)

My last Manila trips have been cancelled twice due bad weather condition. Right now I am waiting again ... As we all know: also Manila and its people suffered very much during the last weeks. 

Retarding basins will be built now in low lying areas  of Metro Manila, including Espana Boulevard, as part of national government's approach to flooding problem that has cost already billions of Pesos annually.

In a media briefing I learned from Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio L. Singson, who said, that he has high hopes on the construction of water retarding or detention basins as most viable solution to reduce downstream flooding during rainy season.

Such basins are constructed to temporarily store some, if not all, of the rain water run-off, to absorb and contain flooding in periods of high rain and pump it out later at regulated rate of flow to a level that can be safely carried by nearby rivers or esteros.

Secretary Singson cited the construction of a detention tank underneath Padre Burgos Circle during the development stage of the present Fort Bonifacio Global City that has now been helping saved the area, including that of Kalayaan Avenue (where I usually like to stay in a Hotel during my Manila visits!) and Efipanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) from flooding. 

Secretary Singson said that inasmuch as flood management in Metro Manila is under the Metropolitian Manila Development Authority, this is proposed engineering solutions will be discussed wuth MMDA officials. 

Church Group Accepts Donations for Flood Victims

Since my first stay in Cotabato City and North as well South Cotabato I am honoured and glad to get many friends in these areas.

Filipinos wish to help the devastating fllod victims especially in North Cotabato. 

Check out the GMA-News-report here:


Church group accepts donations for flood victims

Pope offers prayers for flood victims in Philippines

Pope offers prayers for flood victims in Philippines

Read the post here.