Flood-weary Mindanao takes precautions as another storm looming

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - Local authorities in southern Philippines have ordered pre-emptive evacuations of thousands of residents ahead of an incoming storm even as the region was still reeling from last week's deadly floods and landslides.

Police, soldiers and rescue teams were also put on alert, in order to help in the evacuation and respond to emergencies in Compostela Valley province, one of the worst-hit areas in the recent calamity, said Raul Villocino, provincial disaster action officer.

"We are also closely monitoring the water level of major rivers by installing sensors on bridges and automatic rain gauges," said Villocino, adding that at least nine people died and more than 15, 000 were displaced as rain-induced flooding and landslides hit the province recently.

In Agusan del Norte province, three miners were buried by a rockslide and close to 10,000 people fled as heavy rains persisted today, flooding the regional capital of Butuan and low-lying towns along the banks of Agusan, one of the country's longest rivers, said Liza Mazo, Caraga region civil defense chief.

Several villages remained isolated as some parts of Davao Oriental province are still in flood, preventing public works personnel to repair roads and bridges destroyed by last week's rains, said Corazon Malanyaon, provincial governor.

"We're appealing for more help," said Malanyaon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in its 5 p.m. (local time) bulletin said that Tropical Depression Agaton (international name: Lingling) is located 165 km northeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, packing winds of up to 55 km per hour and moving west at 5 kph.

The Philippines, being in the so-called Typhoon Belt between Pacific Ocean and South China Sea, gets an average of 22 tropical storms every year.