Pagasa warns flooding in Eastern Visayas due to ‘Basyang’

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 13  -- State weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) issued on Tuesday a flood warning over Eastern Visayas provinces as Tropical Storm "Basyang" (Sanba) dumped heavy rains since Monday afternoon.



In its flood advisory, Pagasa has identified several rivers in six provinces that would likely be affected by heavy downpour. 



These water courses are Sangputan, Palo, Solano, Daguitan, Marabong, Cadacan, Bongquirogon, Salug, Pagbanagaran, Pagsangahan, and Binahaan in Leyte; Catarman, Bugko, Pambujan, Catubig, Palapag, Mano, and Gamay in northern Samar. 



Other affected rivers are Oras, Dolores, Ulot, Taft, Borongan, Suribao, Llorento, Balangiga, and Sulat in Eastern Samar; Basey, Silaga, Calbiga and Jibatan in Samar; and Bisay, Himbangan, and Pandan in Southern Leyte; and all river systems in Biliran province.



“Since Monday afternoon, the weather disturbance has already dumped 137.8 millimeters of rain, more than half than the 238.4 millimeters expected rainfall for the entire month of February,” said Marvin Polinas, forecaster of Pagasa Tacloban.



Water level of Binahaan River in Pastrana, Leyte surged to 1.74 meters on Tuesday from 0.87 meters on Monday morning.

Consequently, water level rose to 4.10 meters in Dagami town and 6.05 meters in Palo town, according to data from the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) flood warning system.



“We closely monitor Binahaan River because the rise of water level has been affecting highly populated communities in Leyte,” said Heber Matoza, DOST-Leyte disaster and risk reduction management team leader.



Binahaan watershed, which has its source in the upstream of Pastrana, flowing downstream to Dagami, Tanauan and Palo towns has been disrupting normal routines of 36,932 residents in Leyte during flooding, according to German Technical Cooperation Agency, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit.



In the region, public storm warning signal number one was hoisted as of Tuesday afternoon over Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Eastern Samar, and Samar provinces.

Northern Samar was not included, but the state weather bureau raised the flood warning in the area due to heavy rains. 



The Department of the Interior and Local Government has identified 2,433 villages in Region 8 as highly susceptible to flooding.

The agency urged local governments to conduct appropriate preparedness and disaster risk reduction measures as needed.



The incessant rain prompted local government units in the region to suspend classes in all levels of public and private schools on Tuesday. (SQM/PNA)