Avoid river outings amid rains, Cebuanos warned

CEBU CITY — Residents were urged to be cautious and avoid river outings amid rainy weather, the city’s disaster office said Tuesday.

Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Harold Alcontin cited past drownings and incidents of people swept away by flash floods.

“Our barangay responders are now 800 personnel stationed in their barangays,” Alcontin said. “Every barangay has at least 10 personnel with volunteers, and we have our Quick Response Team.”

The agency has been conducting information campaigns and regularly visiting flood- and landslide-prone areas.

Flood-prone areas in Cebu City include Bonbon, Kalunasan, Guadalupe, Pardo, Tejero, Tinago, and Carreta, as well as Highway Tagunol, Colon Street, and Bonifacio Street.

Landslide-prone areas are Binaliw, Bacayan, Pulangbato, Agsungot, Guba, Babag, Pung-ol Sibugay and Sirao.