Davao, Caraga infra damage tops P1B after floods, landslides

View from an aerial inspection in Barangay Masara, Maco, Davao de Oro on February 7, 2024.

Philstar.com

February 19, 2024 | 1:38pm

Presidential Communications Office

MANILA, Philippines — Damage to infrastructure due to floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in Davao and Caraga regions has reached more than P1 billion, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Monday. 

The floods and landslides impacted 216 facilities, bringing the cost of infrastructure damage to P1.19 billion.

An additional 1,762 houses were also reported damaged by the NDRRMC.

Agricultural damage in Davao and Caraga, meanwhile, was estimated at P558.25 million. Around 19,000 farmers and fishers in those two regions were affected. 

According to the disaster agency, over 1.56 million people from Mindanao were impacted by the floods and landslides. Of the figure, 210,740 were displaced from their homes.

NDRRMC reported that the death toll has risen to 98. It also said that 35 people were injured, while eight were missing.

However, a separate count by the provincial government of Davao de Oro showed that 98 dead bodies were recovered following a massive landslide in Brgy. Masara, a gold-mining village in Maco town. Eight individuals remained missing.

Last week, the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice called on the government to declare a state of climate emergency in Mindanao as floods, landslides and drought affect communities in the country’s south.

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.

Marcos says help underway for landslides, flash floods victims in Davao region

by Joseph Pedrajas, MB

President Marcos said Thursday night that concerned agencies are now in charge of those affected by flash floods and landslides in Davao Del Sur and Davao Occidental.

Marcos, in a series of Twitter posts, said necessary actions were already taken to secure individuals affected by heavy rains brought by the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) in two Mindanao provinces. 

Photo courtesy of President Marcos Twitter page

The President, who is currently in Thailand for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings, said agencies that have already been mobilized are the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Clearing operations and distribution of relief goods are already underway, he added.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Bureau of Fire Protection, together with NDRRMC, have “been conducting search and rescue operations since this morning,” Marcos said.

“I have also instructed DSWD to make sure all evacuees get immediate help. They assured us that teams on the ground are continuously repacking relief goods,” he added.

Landslides close roads

By William B. Depasupil

LEVELLED TO THE GROUND The 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Abra on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 leveled homes and buildings and rendered roads impassable in nearby Benguet as shown in these photos. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BENGUET REP. ERIC YAP

(UPDATE) LANDSLIDES caused by the powerful quake that hit many areas in Luzon rendered 14 national roads in the province of Abra and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) impassable, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.

A number of bridges connecting Abra to nearby provinces were also damaged.

"Our teams of engineers are conducting an assessment to evaluate the structural integrity and damage caused by the earthquake as we simultaneously clear debris along national roads and bridges," DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said.

Bonoan ordered DPWH regional and district engineering offices in Luzon to immediately inspect public infrastructure for any damage.

The DPWH has sent road maintenance crews and equipment for debris clearing operations to affected areas.

The DPWH said among those closed to vehicular traffic were Kalinga Road, Abra-Ilocos Norte Road, Calaba Bridge and Abra-Cervantes Road.

Other roads in CAR closed to traffic were Kennon Road; Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Road, Bobok Bisal, Bokod due to soil collapse, Poblacion, Bokod; Baguio-Itogon Road, Itogon Bridge; and Congressman Andres Acop Cosalan Road and Gov. Bado Dangwa National Road.

Also impassable were Kalinga-Abra Road in Ableg, Pail, Kalinga, and K0497+000 onward Abra, Pantikian to Balblasang, Balbalan and Lubuagan-Batong Buhay Road in Upper Kalinga; Banaue-Hungduan-Benguet Boundary Road, K0389+700, Wangwang, Tinoc in Ifugao; and various sections of Baguio-Bontoc Road, Mountain Province-Cagayan via Tabuk-Enrile Road, Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur Road via Kayan Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur Road via Tue, all in Mountain Province.

Seven road sections have limited access in CAR and Region 1 — Asin Road, K0305+820, Asin, Baguio City; Palispis Marcos Highway, K0273+780, Poblacion, Tuba, Benguet; Baguio-Bontoc Road, Balili Bridge, Benguet; Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya K0254+300, Sitio Lamut, Beckel, La Trinidad, Benguet; Congressman Andres Acop Cosalan Road K0318+800, Sitio Bugao, Barangay Adaoay, Kabayan, Benguet; Baguio-Bauang Road, K0296+600 LS, Tadiangan, Tuba, Benguet; and Calungbuyan Bridge, Santa Rancho, Santa, Ilocos Sur.

All DPWH offices in the CAR were on alert, monitoring roads, bridges and related infrastructure for damage as aftershocks threaten the region.

Heavy downpour causes landslides, sinkhole in DavOro

RALPH LAWRENCE G. LLEMIT

March 01, 2022

THE heavy downpour experienced in some parts of Davao de Oro over the weekend resulted in some roads becoming impassable due to landslides, while some families were affected by a sinkhole.

On Sunday, February 27, six lanes of the national highway in Barangay Tapia, Montevista, Davao de Oro were not passable due to landslides.

In a report from the Philippine Information Agency, the Provincial Government, along with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), immediately conducted a clearing operation in the area, which resulted in some vehicles using other alternate routes.

On Monday dawn, February 28, the area was already passable to motorists.

Meanwhile, four families were affected by a sinkhole in Mawab as rains persisted on Sunday evening, February 27.

According to Mawab Municipal Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO), the houses of the four families were damaged by the sudden movement of the soil.

As of Sunday evening, February 27, Mawab MDRRMO reported that only one family evacuated.

The Provincial Government has yet to provide additional information on the incident.

The Municipal Government of Nabunturan, in a Facebook post, suspended the mining activities in the municipality due to the heavy downpours.

The Municipal Government said that it was a preemptive measure especially to barangay mining sites that are landslide-prone.

According to the 3:30 p.m. advisory of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), some parts of Davao de Oro, namely, Maragusan, Pantukan, Mawab, Maco, and New Bataan, were placed under yellow warning level due to heavy rains brought by the easterlies weather system.

Pagasa said flooding was expected, especially in low-lying areas and landslides in mountainous areas.

Heavy rains were also experienced in some parts of Davao Oriental.

Moderate to heavy rains were experienced in some parts of Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao City, Davao Occidental, and other provinces in Mindanao.

More Rain and Landslides in The Philippines

Luzon has been drenched by monsoon rains enhanced by Typhoon Usagi. Photograph: Francis R. Malasig/EPA
 
Torrential monsoon rains have hit the north-west Philippines triggering landslides and killing 20 people in areas already weakened by a powerful typhoon, and raising the death toll to 47 from storms across Asia.

Philippine officials said soldiers and villagers were also searching for at least seven people missing in mountainside villages hit by the landslides on Monday in the province of Zambales.

In China, where typhoon Usagi struck after passing by the Philippines, officials said the storm killed 25 people in the southern province of Guangdong, 13 of them in the city of Shanwei where it struck the coast late on Sunday.

Two people drowned when a passenger boat capsized in north-east Aurora Province in the Philippines.

Jeffrey Khonghun, mayor of Subic, Zambales, said 15 bodies were dug out in two landslide-hit villages in his town. Five people also died in landslides in two other towns in Zambales, according to army officials and police.

Rescuers used their hands, pots and shovels to dig through the muck that buried a cluster of houses, while relatives of two other missing residents waited in the rain in the village of Wawandue.

"This is the first after a long time that we were hit by this kind of deluge," Khonghun told Manila's DZBB radio network. He had to stop the interview when another body was pulled out from the mud near him.

Typhoon Usagi enhanced the torrential monsoon rains that drenched the main northern Philippine region of Luzon over the weekend. The powerful typhoon blew away late on Saturday and a new tropical storm off southern Japan was continuing to intensify the downpours in Luzon, government forecaster Samuel Duran said.

Many low-lying areas of the Philippine capital, Manila, and outlying regions were swamped on Monday, prompting authorities to close schools and offices.
In Hong Kong flight schedules were returning to normal on Monday after major disruptions caused by Usagi, which was the season's strongest storm. At its peak it forced about 250 flight cancellations in Hong Kong, before weakening to a tropical depression over the southern Chinese province of Guangdong.

Train and airline services around Guangdong had returned to normal after the storm, China's state broadcaster CCTV said.

China's national weather centre said the storm would continue to weaken as it moves north-west.

Potential Cyclone Nears Mindanao

February 18, 2013 10:23am

Satellite image at 8 a.m., 18 Feb 2013. Satellite image at 8 a.m., 18 Feb 2013 Weather Central

Possible flash floods and landslides threaten parts of Mindanao as a potential cyclone—a low-pressure area—moved closer to Southern Mindanao early Monday, state weather forecasters said.

In a radio interview, PAGASA forecaster Connie Dadivas said the LPA was estimated at 1,120 km east of Southern Mindanao as of 4 a.m.

"May paulan na sa Mindanao. Sa ngayon medyo mahina, 5-7 mm per hour. Pero expect natin in the next 24 hours baka magdulot ito ng moderate to heavy rain," Dadivas said in an interview on dzBB radio.

She also said that while they cannot discount the possibility of the LPA becoming a cyclone, their models presently show it has little chance of intensifying into one.

If the LPA becomes a cyclone while inside the Philippine area of responsibility, it will be codenamed Crising.

"Sa ngayon mahina ang chance maging bagyo. Pagtawid ng Mindanao, LPA pa rin. Sa nakikita natin mahina siya at hindi siya magiging bagyo," she said.

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Potential cyclone nears Mindanao, may bring floods, landslides