SORSOGON CITY, Jan. 12 (PNA) -– Heavy rains caused by the prevailing La Niña phenomenon may trigger landslides in identified vulnerable areas of Sorsogon province including barangays around Mt. Bulusan, government authorities cautioned residents.
Weather forecast on Thursday said the eastern seaboard of southern Luzon that includes the province will continue to experience cloudy skies and isolated rains during the week.
A Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) advisory released here Thursday said communities down the slope of Bulusan Volcano should be extra watchful against the possibility of flashflood and avalanches of volcanic debris that may be triggered by heavy downpour.
The Phivolcs Mt. Bulusan monitoring station based in Barangay Cabid-an here said a huge volume of lahar and other by products of the recent eruptions are still stored at the upper slopes of the volcano and may cause major disasters on lives and properties when loosened by rain waters into the low lying communities.
There are at least seven barangays within the municipalities of Irosin and Juban that are considered vulnerable areas to these form of disasters, it said.
Mt. Bulusan is currently under alert level one due to its abnormal condition that has resulted to several eruptions since March 2010. The alert warning means possible eruptions may occur anytime. Human activities are forbidden within the four-kilometer permanent danger zone of the volcano.
Elsewhere around the province, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned that continuous heavy rains could trigger landslides and floods in identified prone areas covered by the municipalities Magallanes, Irosin, Juban, Donsol and this city.
These areas have already been determined by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through hazard mappings conducted by the Environmental Management and Mining and Geosciences Bureaus to be highly vulnerable localities due to existing mountains and rivers.
The Pagasa said rivers in these areas could easily overflow due to the excessive volume of rainfall brought about by the weather situation so that residents along its banks are cautioned of sudden floods and raging current.
Latest rainfall forecast of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Manangement Council (RDRRMC) in Legazpi city said rivers, stream and its tributaries in sorsogon and all parts of Bicol will be affected by rainfalls.
At least 24 persons were killed when a major landslide buried several homes in Barangay Hobo, Magallanes town at the height of typhoon Dante in May 2009. Several families that survived the landslide have already been relocated to resettlement areas but some other barangays within the municipality still have to be vigilant for similar occurrences, the Pagasa said.
The agency has enjoined the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Mananegement Council (PDRRMC) to remind residents and local officials about their contingency plans should emergencies take place amidst the prevailing La Niña phenomenon.
Evacuation centers should always be ready to accommodate evacuees in events of calamity while each local government should keep its disaster response operatives available for rescue operations. Relief goods should also be at all times readily available, the Pagasa added. (PNA)
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