Easterlies bring wet Christmas in Mindanao
Mindanao map. INQUIRER FILES
ILIGAN CITY — It’s a wet Christmas as easterlies have dumped rains in many parts of Mindanao since early morning on Monday, exposing communities to the threats of flood and landslide.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) issued a general flood advisory at 6 a.m. on Monday for the Caraga region, based on its 12-hour forecast that shows light to moderate rains.
Pagasa advised precautionary measures on Dinagat Islands, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur.
By 10:20 a.m, Pagasa issued Heavy Rainfall Warning No. 2 raising the Yellow Warning Level over Davao Oriental, Agusan del Sur, and Davao de Oro, where rains are expected up to 75,000 drums per square kilometer.
Pagasa said that at the time it issued the advisory, moderate with occasionally heavy downpour (up to 15 liters per square meter per hour) is already experienced in parts of Agusan del Norte, Bukidnon, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga del Sur.
Some parts of Bukidnon, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Cotabato, South Cotabato, Zamboanga del Norte, Camiguin, Agusan del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Surigao del Norte, and Davao City were experiencing light to moderate rains (up to 5.5 liters per square meter per hour), according to Pagasa.
Tremor
Amid the rains in Surigao del Sur, a minor earthquake struck southeast of Cagwait town at 8:10 a.m. The offshore magnitude 3.7 tremor had a depth of 21 kilometers.
On Christmas Eve, two light earthquakes 18 minutes apart, which are aftershocks of the Dec. 2 magnitude 7.4 earthquake, shook Surigao del Sur.
At 10:02 a.m., a magnitude 4.3 tremor struck northeast of Hinatuan town, with a depth of six kilometers. It was felt at Intensity 4 in Hinatuan and Intensity 3 in Bislig City.
A magnitude 4.9 temblor followed at 10:20 a.m. northeast of Hinatuan, with a depth of one kilometer. It was felt at Intensity 5 in Hinatuan and Intensity 4 in Bislig City.
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