‘Mina’s’ three-day stay means rainy week ahead for Cebu

CEBU can expect more rainy days ahead as Tropical Depression Mina lingers in the country for three days, the state weather bureau Pagasa said yesterday.

“There will be more rains than usual because the rain is unevenly distributed,” Rafael Tapales, Pag-asa Mactan weather analyst, said.

He said Cebu will experience scattered rain showers and thunderstorms sufficient to cause landslides and floodings.

Typhoon Mina is 400 kilometers away from Catanduanes with maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center. It is forecast to move northwest at 09 kph.

Southern Luzon and Visayas will experience cloudy skies with scattered to widespread rain showers and thunderstorms while Mindanao and Central Luzon will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

Light to moderate winds will prevail over Northern and Central Luzon while coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7) warned residents in landslide-prone areas to watch out for initial signs that may trigger landslide or soil movement.

Environment Management Bureau (EMB) Executive Director Loreto Alburo said new springs or unusual bulges in the ground, street pavements or sidewalk is an indication of soil movement underneath.

Loreto  also urged local officials to orient themselves on geohazard maps and execute measures to reduce the impact of landslides and flooding.

DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Maximo O. Dichosoalso also called for relocation of residents of these areas. In Cebu City there were 19 barangays classified as landslide prone and five areas as flood prone.

In Mandaue City, Mayor Jonas Cortes ordered the relocation of families in sitio Salvacion, barangay Maguikay, in the Butuanon River.

The two-story home of resident Edwin Alagasi situated at the bank of the Butuanon River was destroyed and fell to the bottom of the river.

The other two houses owned by 50-year-old Miriam Urot and 45-year-old Magdalena Velasco sustained large cracks on the flooring.  “We wanted to transfer but we have no place to go,” Urot said in an interview.

There were 60 families in sitio Salvacion who were beneficiaries of the 6.5-hectare relocation site in barangay Paknaan but the site has yet being developed. The site can accommodate 1,200 households. Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya and Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza