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Camp Ruperto Kangleon, Palo, Leyte – The Eastern Visayas Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council called on local government units and the public to heed weather advisories and to take geohazard maps seriously.

Office of Civil Defense Director Rey Gozon made the call as Pagasa has spotted and is currently monitoring a Low Pressure Area off Eastern Mindanao.

The LPA is expected to bring moderate to heavy rains (5.0 - 15.0 mm/hr) and thunderstorms in Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao, particularly over the provinces of Samar, Leyte, Agusan and Surigao which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

Strong to gale force wind is expected to affect the seaboards of Luzon and the Eastern seaboard of Visayas and Mindanao.

Gozon said that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, particularly its Mines and Geosciences Bureau has distributed geohazard maps which identified disaster prone areas to all LGUs, so they will be properly guided in taking the necessary steps before, during and after a calamity.

“The geohazard maps are critical planning tools in the local government’s risk reduction program,” Gozon emphasized.

Geohazard maps contain information as to the level of susceptibility of areas to flooding and landslide, including areas that could possibly be used as relocation or evacuation sites, in case of calamities.

Gozon said the recent calamity brought about by typhoon Pablo is another wake-up call for everyone to do his or her part for the conservation and protection of the environment and in the preparation, mitigation and adaptation to disaster risks.

Eastern Visayas is lucky because it still has forests with good vegetation and rich biodiversity in Samar Island but it is also considered a disaster prone region, Director Gozon, added.

Meanwhile, in line with the LPA which is being monitored by Pagasa, Gozon said that fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves. (EOT-PIA 8)