TS 'Leon' brings heavy rain, flood in Cebu City
Dozens of people were forced to flee their homes as tropical storm (TS) "Leon" dumped heavy rain and caused flood in at least four barangays in Cebu City, officials from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Wednesday.
Ramil Ayuman, officer in charge of the Cebu City DRRM office, said two landslides were monitored in Sitio Kadauhan, Barangay Talamban and in Sitio Lareha, Barangay Kalunasan.
The landslides occured at around 11 p.m. Tuesday, affecting a total of 13 families or 59 individuals.
Ayuman said some of the families had already been evacuated to the barangay halls. Fortunately, no one was reported to have been hurt or killed in the landslides.
"We already evacuated the families in Barangay Kalunasan. In Barangay Talamban, they are kind of hesitant because the evacuation center is far. If you are in Sitio Kadauhan, that's roughly 100 meters. They decided to stay in their neighbors' homes," Ayuman said in a radio interview over DZMM.
Meanwhile, flashfloods were reported in Barangay Labangon and Barangay Tisa, affecting at least seven families.
"They (have) all (been) evacuated right now," Ayuman said.
Ayuman noted that the local DRRM office has already sent food packs to the affected families.
"The housing materials will be sent once we're finished with the assessment on the extent of damage in the area," he said.
Ayuman stated that low-lying and mountainous areas in Cebu City have been consistently plagued by flooding and landslides.
Meanwhile, NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad advised officials to continue monitoring their areas of responsibility as more flooding and rain-induced landslides are expected to occur in the next 24 to 48 hours.
TS Leon is forecasted to continue moving west-northwest until it exits the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday morning, heading towards Vietnam.
A situational report form the NDRRMC said moderate to heavy rains were expected over Aurora, Rizal, Palawan, Mindoro provinces, Romblon, Western Visayas, and Negros Oriental.
Further, light to moderate rains were expected over Metro Manila, Bicol Region, Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Isabela, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and the rest of Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Visayas.
"Continuous intensification is likely throughout the forecasted period," he said.