55 Towns, 5 Cities in Bicol Vulnerable to Landslide and Flooding

2012_0908_bicolThe Bureau of Mines and Geosciences in Bicol (MGB-V) reiterates its previous warning made earlier this year to residents of at least five cities and 55 towns in all six provinces of the region highly susceptible to landslide and flooding.

Regional Director Engr. Theodore Rommel E. Pestano said “… with the on-set of the rainy season starting this month more landslides and flashfloods are expected in identified disaster prone areas in Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbate and Sorsogon.”

The residents are told to be prepared, if not evacuate to safer grounds when necessary, when continuous rain for more than 3 days occur in their localities, which include Naga city, Calabanga, Magarao, Bombon, Bato, Bula, Buhi, Caramoan, Garchitorina, Goa, Lagonoy, Libmanan, Lupi, Pasacao, Presentacion, Sagnay, Sipocot, Pili, Ocampo, Tigaon, Canaman, Camaligan and Tinambac in Camarines Sur.

In Albay, the following localities are among those highly vulnerable to floods and landslides which include Legazpi city, Ligao city, Tabaco city, Daraga, Bacacay, Libon, Malilipot, Malinao, Manito, Rapu-Rapu, Sto. Domingo, Tiwi, Polangui, Pio Duran, Camalig, Guinobatan, and Oas.

The town of Basud, Capalonga, Labo, Mercedez, Paracale, San Lorenzo Ruiz, San Vicente and Sta. Elena of Camarines Norte and Bagamanoc, Baras, Bato, Caramoran, Gigmoto, Pandan, Panganiban, Virac, San Miguel, Viga, and San Andres in Catanduanes are all listed under threat of floods and landslides during the advent of the rainy season.

Four Masbate towns which include Aroroy, Baleno, Mandaon and Milagros, and Sorsogon city, Gubat, Casiguran, Bulan, Irosin, Juban, Magallanes, Matnog, Barcelona, Bulusan, Castilla, Prieto Diaz, Donsol, Pilar, and Sta. Magdalena of Sorsogon are also in the map of MGB V among those highly vulnerable to geohazards caused by heavy rain.

Two years ago the MGB implemented the Geohazard Mapping and Assessment Project, a joint undertaking by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Local government units in the region identified in the geohazard map were already furnished copies bearing different geohazard themes such as landslide susceptibility, flood hazard, liquefaction potential and ground subsidence/ground settlement. Subsequently, officials of local government units, including the barangays, were given training on how to use the maps for disaster preparedness. (From the press release of MGB-V)

*26

One thought on “55 Towns, 5 Cities in Bicol Vulnerable to Landslide and Flooding”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *