General Santos, Davao del Sur residents warned of bad weather

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines—Officials have ordered residents near the coasts of this city and Davao del Sur as well as people living along riverbanks to prepare for possible evacuation as a low pressure area  which developed off the city a few days ago was closing in and threatening to bring heavy rainfall.

The advisory was issued even as a weather forecaster said the low pressure area, which was monitored 400 kilometers east southeast of the city early Wednesday, had no chances of developing into a storm.

Buddy Javier of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration  said the weather disturbance was expected to dissipate in the next 24 hours.

However, Javier said the low pressure area could still dump more rain than usual and could threaten many Mindanao areas with floods.

“Widespread rains over the eastern section of the Visayas and the whole of Mindanao may trigger flashfloods and landslides,” Pagasa said in an advisory.

Jerome Barranco, deputy director of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Central Mindanao, said the warning against sailing, especially for fishermen and those using small water vessels, remained in place.

Pagasa admitted that the low pressure area could generate moderate to strong winds, and coastal waters could be rough as long as it was active.

Ephraim Beliran, General Santos City disaster action officer, said a rescue team was on standby status.

Most of Mindanao was cloudy on Wednesday with rains reported in some areas, including parts of Sarangani and Davao del Sur.

In Davao del Sur, town mayors of coastal areas said they had placed their respective disaster response offices on alert.

Mayor Joel Ray Lopez of Sta. Cruz town, which suffered from floods in recent months, said residents in coastal areas and those along river banks had been told to evacuate as soon as they observe signs of danger.

Mayor Benjamin Bautista of Malita town said rescue workers were also asked to be on alert for possible emergencies, including landslides in hinterland villages.