NDRMMC ‘strongly’ recommends forced evacuation in CAR due to ‘Lando’

The disaster mitigation agency has “strongly recommended” forced evacuation in areas of Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) prone to flood and landslide amid the onslaught of Typhoon “Lando.”

This was after the assessment of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) that there was a “high probability” that landslides will occur in Cordilleran provinces.

“We are strongly recommending the forced evacuation in the CAR sa lahat ng barangay (village) na landslide at flood-prone areas. Assessment na ito malaking probability na magkaroon ng landslides,” NDRRMC Executive Director Alexander Pama said in a press briefing on Sunday morning.

In CAR alone, seven main road segments have been rendered impassable as heavy rains and strong winds spawned by Lando struck the region.

In the same briefing, Public Works and Highways secretary Rogelio Singson said the closure of main roads in Cordillera were “principally due to landslides.”

Among the impassable roads in CAR provinces were:

-Claveria-Calanasan Road due to landslide

-Pinukpuk-Abbut Road due to soil collapse

-Talubin-Barilig-Natonin-Paracelis-Calaccad Road due to landslide

-Banaue-Mayoyao-Aguinaldo-Isabela Road due to landslide

-Acop-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun Road due to sinking roadway

-Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Road due to landslide

-Conner-Kabugao Road due to landslide

The state weather bureau said Lando will continue to bring torrential rains and strong winds in Northern Luzon provinces, particularly in Cordillera region.

But the slow-moving typhoon has weakened further. It is now packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kph with gusts of up to 185 kph.

On Saturday night, Lando packed winds of 185 kph with gustiness of up to 220 kph.