RAPPLER | Nation | #YolandaPH: Caraga most prone to landslides, floods

BY PIA RANADA

POSTED ON 11/07/2013 9:41 PM  | UPDATED 11/08/2013 5:58 AM

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BRACING FOR THE WORST. In some provinces in Visayas and Mindanao, more than half of cities, municipalities and barangays are prone to landslides and flooding even as typhoon Yolanda hits the regions. Image from PAGASA

MANILA, Philippines – Super typhoon Yolanda (international codename: Haiyan) may be threatening to wreak havoc on provinces in all major islands, and hit the Visayas hardest, but what it renders most vulnerable to landslides and floods is the Caraga region in Mindanao.

According to data provided by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), among the regions affected by Yolanda, Caraga has the highest percentage of municipalities and barangays where landslides and floods will likely occur.

Out of the region's 73 cities and municipalities, 62 (85%) are prone to floods, while 62% are highly vulnerable to landslides. Out of 1,310 barangays, 789 or 60% are susceptible to flooding.

MGB also provided data on Bicol (Region V), Western Visayas (Region VI), Central Visayas (Region VII), and Eastern Visayas (Region VIII). (READ: Typhoon Yolanda: East Visayas signal no. 4)

Regions that should especially beef up their flood mitigation are Bicol and Western Visayas, where more than half of cities and municipalities are likely to experience flooding.

Eastern Visayas should also brace for landslides, as more than half (54%) of its cities and municipalites are prone to the potentially fatal phenomenon.

Some provinces are completely exposed to the dangers of flooding. According to the data, all towns and cities in Capiz, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Islands are likely to flood. In some provinces, like Antique and Agusan del Sur, all but one city or municipality are threatened by floods.

Catanduanes, Antique, Guimaras, Negros Oriental, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Biliran, Leyte, Northern Samar, and Southern Leyte are provinces where more than half of cities and municipalities are vulnerable to landslides.

Many of these provinces have been placed under signal number 4 by state weather bureau PAGASA, namely:

• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Capiz
• Biliran
• Aklan
• Northern Antique
• Extreme Northern Cebu including Bantayan Island

Winds of more than 185 km/h can be expected in these areas within 12 hours.

Table 4: Region 13 - CARAGA

PROVINCES	No of Cities / Municipalities	No of Cities / Municipalities prone to landslide	No of Cities / Municipalities prone to flood	No of Barangays	No of Brgys prone to landslide	No of Brgys prone to flood
Agusan Del Norte	12	4	11	252	6	185
Agusan Del Sur	14	6	13	314	15	166
Surigao Del Norte	21	19	12	335	91	177
Surigao Del Sur	19	10	19	309	25	209
Dinagat Islands	7	6	7	100	64	52
Total	73	45	62	1,310	201	789

Table 1: Region 5 - Bicol

PROVINCES	No of Cities / Municipalities	No of Cities / Municipalities prone to landslide	No of Cities / Municipalities prone to flood	No of Barangays	No of Brgys prone to landslide	No of Brgys prone to flood
Albay	18	3	14	720	19	121
Camarines Norte	12	7	11	282	34	69
Camarines Sur	37	6	26	1,063	31	158
Catanduanes	11	8	11	315	27	111
Sorsogon	12	4	13	77	8	90
Total	90	28	75	2,457	119	549

Table 2: Region 6 - Western Visayas

PROVINCES	No of Cities / Municipalities	No of Cities / Municipalities prone to landslide	No of Cities / Municipalities prone to flood	No of Barangays	No of Brgys prone to landslide	No of Brgys prone to flood
Aklan	17	6	8	327	22	67
Antique	18	15	17	590	172	175
Capiz	17	6	17	473	16	216
Guimaras	5	3	4	98	7	11
Iloilo	44	14	19	1,901	227	304
Negros Occ	32	12	30	662	29	191
Total	133	56	95	4,051	473	964

Table 3: Region 7 - Central Visayas

PROVINCES	No of Cities / Municipalities	No of Cities / Municipalities prone to landslide	No of Cities / Municipalities prone to flood	No of Barangays	No of Brgys prone to landslide	No of Brgys prone to flood
Bohol	48	21	34	1,109	50	125
Cebu	53	8	13	1,203	20	32
Negros Oriental	25	16	19	557	78	103
Siquijor	6	3	2	134	3	3
Total	132	48	66	3,003	151	263

Table 5: Region 8 - Eastern Visayas

PROVINCES	No of Cities / Municipalities	No of Cities / Municipalities prone to landslide	No of Cities / Municipalities prone to flood	No of Barangays	No of Brgys prone to landslide	No of Brgys prone to flood
Biliran	8	5	2	132	18	2
Eastern Samar	23	7	8	597	15	47
Leyte	43	28	20	1,641	108	220
Northern Samar	24	20	19	569	75	138
Southern Leyte	19	16	14	500	106	50
Western Samar	26	1	2	951	2	12
Total	143	77	65	4,390	324	469

Said to be the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, Yolanda has forced thousands across the nation to evacuate. (READ: 'Violent' Yolanda to hit 5M people hardest)

It is expected to make landfall in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, at 5 am Friday, November 8, before traversing Biliran, the northern tip of Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Romblon, Semirara Island, the southern part of Mindoro, and Busuanga, before exiting the Philippine landmass on Saturday morning.

PAGASA predicted that the super typhoon will be packing maximum sustained winds of 225 kilometers per hour, with gustiness of 260 kph.

PAGASA warned affected communities to prepare for "very heavy" damage including disruptions to major power sources and communication lines. They must also brace for major damage to infrastructure and great agricultural losses. 

– Rappler.com