The CDRRMO and Central 911 are continuing their monitoring and have advised preemptive evacuation in some areas. Earlier, the Lasang River was put on warning level while the Suawan River was noted with heavy water buildup. The Upper and Lower Sangilangan and Waan rivers were reported to have overflowed causing residents to evacuate.
By MARILOU AGUIRRE-TUBURAN
Davao Today
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) warned the public especially those residing along the city’s major rivers that the water levels have not subsided yet.
Emmanuel Jaldon, chief of CDRRMO and the Emergency Response Center Central 911, told davaotoday.com in a phone interview that the “water level upstream are, however, receding,” adding that it may eventually go down as the city experiences no heavy rainfall.
The CDRRMO and Central 911 are continuing their monitoring and have advised preemptive evacuation in some areas. Earlier, the Lasang River was put on warning level while the Suawan River was noted with heavy water buildup. The Upper and Lower Sangilangan and Waan rivers were reported to have overflowed causing residents to evacuate.
Residents of Barangay 19-B in Bacaca have reportedly evacuated to the Dizon Elementary School.
Seven families from Purok 4 in Gravahan Matina were earlier rescued. But Jaldon was not able to provide the exact figures of total evacuees.
Communities situated along the Davao River, especially in Jade Valley Subdivision and Waan, were advised to monitor their areas of responsibility and to implement necessary evacuation measures when needed.
Floodwaters reportedly reached, at most, waist-level.
The local government was prompted to suspend classes from preschool to high school Tuesday after Pagasa’s “heavy rainfall yellow advisory” yesterday evening, which means the city will experience moderate to heavy rain showers.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte left the suspension of classes in the college and post-graduate level, as well as work of employees, to the discretion of school authorities and employers.
As of 5 PM Tuesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that Tropical Depression Crising has made its landfall at the southern tip of Davao del Sur province where Davao City is located.
As of 4 PM today, the center of Crising was estimated at 80 Km Southwest of General Santos City (5.7°N, 124.5°E ) sustaining maximum winds of 45 Kph near the center. It is expected to be at 250 Km west of Zamboanga City by Wednesday afternoon and at 500 Km southwest of Puerto Princesa City by Thursday afternoon based on its forecasted movement of West Northwest at 24 Kph.
Pagasa has raised Public Storm Warning Signal 1 to Southern Palawan and five Mindanao regions.
The areas included Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay in the Zamboanga Peninsula region (Region IX); Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental and Lanao del Norte in the Northern Mindano region (Region X); Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Samal Island, Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley in the Davao region (Region XI); Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, North Cotabato and Sarangani in the Soccsksargen region (Region XII); the southern part of Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur in the Caraga region (Region XIII); and Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
With winds of 45-60 Kph expected within the next 36 hours, Pagasa said it may break the twigs and branches of trees, tilt or lay flat on the ground some banana plants, inflict significant damage to rice in flowering stage, partially unroofed some nipa and cogon houses and put at risk travelling small seacrafts and fishing boats.
Residents in low lying and mountainous areas are warned of possible flashfloods and landslides. (Marilou Aguirre-Tuburan/davaotoday.com)
