MANILA, Philippines - Prepare for floods as heavy rains are predicted for today and tomorrow.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that Tropical Depression Emong intensified into a storm yesterday.
Although the storm is still not expected to directly hit any part of the country, it could induce the southwest monsoon and bring moderate to heavy rains in many parts of the country, including Metro Manila, beginning today.
“We reiterate our advice to the public to prepare for possible flooding as rains would be more frequent and intense by Wednesday or Thursday due to the enhanced southwest monsoon,†PAGASA weather forecaster Alvin Pura said.
PAGASA issued thunderstorm advisories over Metro Manila and nearby provinces as early as 10 a.m. yesterday, prompting several universities and local government units in Metro Manila to suspend classes and work in the afternoon.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the center of Emong was spotted at 470 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.
Emong was expected to move north at 19 kph.
Aside from Metro Manila, moderate to heavy rains are also likely to prevail over central Luzon, Mimaropa, Calabarzon, Bicol region and the Visayas which may trigger flashfloods and landslides, PAGASA said.
The rest of the country will be cloudy with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms.
The storm is expected to dump moderate to heavy rains (five to 15 millimeters per hour) in areas within its 400-km radius in the next 24 hours.
The weather bureau advised fishermen, especially those using small seacraft, not to venture into the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and western seaboards of Southern Luzon due to big waves generated by the storm.
Emong is expected to be 470 km east of Basco, Batanes this morning and 830 km northeast of Basco or out of the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday.
NDRRMR issues flood, landslide warning
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) also issued a general flood and landslide warning yesterday over three regions due to the prevailing bad weather system spawned by Emong.
NDRRC executive director Eduardo del Rosario said there would be light to moderate rainfall over the Calabarzon region, Mimamorpa region and Eastern Visayas.
The water levels at upper Marikina and Kaliwa rivers in Rizal are also expected to rise in the next 24 hours if the rains would not stop.
“Rivers and its tributaries in Marinduque, Mindoro Occidental and Mindoro Oriental as well as those in Palawan and Romblon are also expected to be flooded due to the prevailing rains,†NDRRMC warned.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development, meanwhile, said it has a standby fund of almost P2 million and a ready stockpile of relief goods worth P36.5 million for possible relief operations in Regions 5, 8 and 11 that might be hit by Emong.
New low-pressure area
PAGASA is also monitoring a potential cyclone off the West Philippine Sea.
Pura said the system could also enhance the southwest monsoon, which could bring more rains over the western section of the country. Should it intensify into a cyclone, it will be named Feria.
Pura also urged the public to monitor PAGASA’s thunderstorm and rainfall advisories.
The weather agency started using its color-coded rainfall warning system last Monday evening.
Under a yellow warning, the rainfall is expected between 7.5 mm and 15 mm, which means flooding in low-lying areas is possible. Under an orange warning, the rainfall is between 15 mm and 30 mm, which means residents should prepare for possible evacuation due to threat of flooding. Under a red warning, the observed rainfall is more than 30 mm and serious flooding is expected.
Flood risk areas in Central Luzon
At least 374 of 3,102 barangays in Central Luzon are considered high flood risk areas, according to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The DOST-Project Noah found that 187 barangays in Pampanga are at high risk to flooding, 105 in Bulacan, 47 in Nueva Ecija, 20 in Tarlac, 8 in Aurora and 7 in Bataan.
Officials of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the region said they would focus their disaster management plan to high flood risk communities.
Lerrie Hernandez, chief of the DILG’s monitoring and evaluation, said it is necessary for local government units to review their risk reduction and management programs, contingency plans, hazard maps and evacuation plans.
The DILG is already conducting training on the application of multi-hazard maps in LGUs in Central Luzon as part of its disaster management plan. – with Ric Sapnu, Alexis Romero, Rainier Allan Ronda, Jaime Laude