MANILA, Philippines — More than 2,100 barangays are at risk of floods and landslides as Typhoon Marce approaches Philippine landmass.
In a briefing on Tuesday, November 5, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said that the agency has compiled a list of vulnerable areas.
“Mayroon po kaing listahan ngayon na kung saan dapat bantayan po sana ang mga areas na ito,” Loyzaga said in a briefing on Tuesday.
(We now have a list of places that need safeguarding.)
Yulo-Loyzaga said that barangays in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region are vulnerable.
The DENR Mines and Geosciences has issued a threat advisory over several provinces detailing the specific barangays that are at risk of landslides, floods and debris flow. The number of vulnerable barangays is at 2,123.
Here are the provinces with their corresponding number of at risk barangays:
- Basilan: 60 barangays
- Lanao del Sur: 138 barangays
- Maguindanao del Sur: 26 barangays
- Cagayan: 484 barangays
- Agusan del Norte: 11 barangays
- Agusan del Sur: 96 barangays
- Surigao del Sur: 3 barangays
- Bohol: 38 barangays
- Negros Oriental: 26 barangays
- Abra: 13 barangays
- Apayao: 108 barangays
- Davao de Oro (Compostela Valley): 18 barangays
- Davao del Norte: 1 barangay
- Davao del Sur: 51 barangays
- Davao Oriental: 6 barangays
- Ilocos Norte: 544 barangays
- Ilocos Sur: 2 barangays
- Palawan: 39 barangays
- Bukidnon: 138 barangays
- Misamis Occidental: 53 barangays
- Misamis Oriental: 21 barangays
- Cotabato (North Cotabato): 30 barangays
- South Cotabato: 13 barangays
- Sultan Kudarat: 20 barangays
- Aklan: 2 barangays
- Antique: 10
- Capiz: 3 barangays
- Iloilo: 20 barangays
- Negros Occidental: 4 barangays
- Zamboanga del Norte: 78 barangays
- Zamboanga del Sur: 65 barangays
- Zamboanga Sibugay: 2 barangays
Vulnerable areas are generally near mountains or coastal regions, Yulo-Loyzaga said. Mountainous areas are prone to landslides while coastal areas are vulnerable to floods.
Some of the major rivers that need monitoring are the Cagayan River Basin, as well as the rivers of Abra, Laoag and Vintar.
Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (International name: Trami) tore through northern Luzon, followed shortly by Super Typhoon Leon (International name: Kong-rey). At least 150 are reportedly dead due to the consecutive cyclones.
Marce is forecast to move toward Northern Luzon, possibly making landfall in the Babuyan Islands by Thursday night or Friday morning.