Davao Oriental prepares for LPA’s heavy rainfall

THE Low Pressure Area (LPA), which is expected to affect Davao Oriental and other provinces in Southern Mindanao, has entered the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday morning prompting the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) to activate its Incident Command System for expected heavy rainfall.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Province of Davao Oriental posted on its official Facebook page, they coordinated with other government agencies to monitor the movement of the LPA in case of emergencies.

“The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) in close coordination with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have been closely monitoring the movement of the LPA that is expected to bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms all over the region,” the statement read.

PDRRMC, however, is concerned on the volume of water that may result to landslides and floods especially in low-lying areas and near riverbanks.

The Philippine Army, Philippine National Police,

and other rescue teams are currently on standby.

“The Municipal DRRM councils of all municipalities in the province up to the barangays are also making preparations and are set to activate their respective ICS,” the statement added.

They have also prepositioned food packs at the provincial level for potential affected families with additional food packs that are being requested from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to augment the provincial supply.

They also urged the public to exercise vigilance and be alert all the time and listen to advisories.

“Everyone has been advised to take necessary precautionary measures, to be alert, and to watch and listen for the latest updates on the radio, television, or to trusted social media,” the statement said. JCR (For full story visit www. sunstar.com.ph/davao/