By CONG B. CORRALES
Associate Editor
“EXPECT a ‘waterworld’ in Cagayan de Oro.”
Mario Monsanto, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department overseer, today urged residents to brace themselves for a “very wet Jan. 1 to 2.”
According to Engr. Cindy Sabanal, CDRRMD weather monitoring chief, residents should expect torrential rains from 2 pm (Jan. 1) to 2 am (Jan. 2).
Citing the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast model, Sabanal said residents should expect a 70 mm rainfall at around 9 pm tomorrow (Jan.1).
As of 3 am, a low-pressure Aarea was located at 960 km east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration predicted a 50-percent chance for the LPA to develop into a tropical depression by tomorrow. If it does, it will be named “Agaton.”
For his part, city social welfare office overseer and newly designated city administrator Teodoro Sabuga-a said barangay officials should prepare whether the LPA would turn into a tropical depression or not.
“Ma LPA man kana o depression, ang sigurado nga aduna gyu’y dako nga tubig mobundak sa syudad. I have spoken to the barangay officials to organize volunteers to add to our barangay tanods,” Sabuga-a said.
He said barangay officials should deploy barangay tanods and volunteers on strategic areas in their respective barangays so that in the event that a forced evacuation would be implemented the residents will be assured that their properties will not be looted.
Addressing the barangay officials, Sabuga-a reminded: “Nagsabot na baya ‘ta. Kun adunay mahitabong kawat sa ilang mga barangay, kargo na kana sa ila.”
In another development, Maricel Rivera, head of the City Information Office, announced that they have forged an agreement with the local chapter of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas for a synchronized updating of advisories.
“We have arranged this so that information dissemination will be orderly,” she explained.
The CDRRMD is expecting an urban flooding scenario until Jan. 2.
“We had zero casualties during (storm) Vinta because it happened during the day. That’s why we urged the people to be extra vigilant in the coming days because we expect the flooding to occur at night,” Monsanto said.
Carmelito Deloso, chief traffic operation of the Roads and Traffic Administration identified the flood-prone urban areas as Villarin St., Kauswagan to Bulua highway, Puerto, Tablon, University of Science and Technology in Southern Philippines, Rodelsa Rotunda, and JR Borja Ext.
“We based this observation on our experience with (storm) Vinta,” Deloso said.
For his part, Sabuga-a urged the people to follow the protocols and to constantly monitor their updates and advisories on quad media.
“Kung wala’y life-threatening na tuyo diri sa siyudad sa Jan. 1, gikan 5pm to 5am, pagpuyo na lang kamo sa inyong mga balay,” Sabuga-a said.
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