Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. on Wednesday instructed all regional directors to coordinate with their respective Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils to continuously remind all local government units to prepare for super typhoon “Mawar,”  which is still outside the Philippine area of responsibility.

In an advisory, Abalos said all LGUs, especially those in areas with recent experience of extended or prolonged rain occurrences and/or landslides or floods, shall continue to monitor all Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration weather advisories and typhoon bulletins as well as closely monitor its local thunderstorm/rainfall advisories and heavy rainfall warnings, and general flood advisories and basin flood bulletins.

They are also ordered to utilize HazardHunterPH to generate indicative hazard assessment reports on their respective jurisdictions.

Local DRRMCs are also directed to convene and conduct pre-disaster risk assessments for floods, flash floods, rain-induced landslides, debris flow and strong winds. Communities must also be continuously informed and advised of situation updates and preparations.

LGUs are also ordered to establish and strictly implement critical preparedness actions based on the Operation L!STO Protocols and DILG Memorandum Circular 2020-125 or the L!STO SA TAG-ULAN AT COVID-19: Preparedness Measures of LGUs for the Rainy Season CY 2020, prioritize supplies and equipment prepositioning for the response, and implement necessary actions in the DILG Advisory issued in May 2022 on the “Preparedness Measures for Rainy Season C.Y. 2022”

Areas showing signs of landslides, such as tension cracks, seepages, terracettes, tilting of trees, etc. monitor moderate slopes with thick soil overburden, and areas underlain by old landslide deposits, quarry and mining areas must be also vigilantly monitored. Waterways such as canals and drainages are likewise ordered to be cleared while dams should be ensured stable.

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