The effects of the February 17-25 excessive rains brought by the tail end of the cold front in Bicol

The tail end of the cold front is considered major weather disturbance. It carries excessive rains that caused flood, landslide, flashflood and mudflow in the low lying areas in Bicol.

This weather phenomena affected the Bicol Region, particularly Albay, Sorsogon and Camarines Sur, in a week time-February 17-25, 2008 with continued heavy rains reaching 272.8 millimeters.

 Accordingly, some of the recorded destructive effects/disturbances of this weather phenomena, as culled from reports of the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol (OCD-V) and those from MGB-V showed:

• Flooding occurred in the Towns of Malilipot, Malinao and Tiwi in Albay as well as Tabaco City in the 1^st District of Albay; Oas, Polangui and Libon in 3^rd  District brought by heavy rains and the overflowing of Lakes Bato and Buhi in Camarines Sur; 

• Landslides were identified in the Towns of Manito, Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, Jovellar, Libon, Tiwi and in Legazpi City. A total of 120 landslides occurred in these areas. Rockfall in Bgy. Joroan in Tiwi was also reported;

• The Baao lake in Camarines Sur overflowed flooding the Town of Baao and submerging hectares of rice lands in Bgy. Bula, where flood waters reached knee deep to roof top levels;

• In Bato Town, 7 Barangays suffered heavy flooding while adjacent Nabua Town, flood waters inundated some tertiary roads;

• In Bula Town, Camarines Sur, Bgy. Inayunan was isolated due to heavy flooding that also affected 4 other Barangays including landslides in the area as well as Bgy. Bagoladio; 

•  In Sorsogon, the Municipality of Magallanes was isolated after massive landslides blocked at least 5 areas in the Juban – Magallanes Road linking the town to Sorsogon City;

• In Bgy. Culliat in Daraga, flood water flowed along the Maharlika Highway after the Busay river overflowed due to land erosion in the upper section of the river artery. About 180 meters of the pavement in Bgy. Malama in Ligao, part of the 38 Km. Ligao – Pio Duran Road collapsed due to flash flood;

• In Bgy. Culliat in Daraga, flood water flowed along the Maharlika Highway after the Busay river overflowed due to land erosion in the upper section of the river artery. About 180 meters of the pavement in Bgy. Malama in Ligao, part of the 38 Km. Ligao – Pio Duran Road collapsed due to flash flood.

• The heavy downpour forced 1,184 families in Camarines Norte, 6,568 families in Camarines Sur, a like number in Albay and 2,032 families in Sorsogon to move out of low lying villages and seek shelter in evacuation centers;

• Death toll in Bicol from landslides and floods was placed at 19 casualties – Sorsogon-8; Albay-5; Camarines Sur – 5; Camarines Norte – 1; while 3 people were injured and 3 people are missing.

• Death toll in Bicol from landslides and floods was placed at 19 casualties – Sorsogon-8; Albay-5; Camarines Sur – 5; Camarines Norte – 1; while 3 people were injured and 3 people are missing.

• Overall, the excessive rains adversely affected a large portion of the population living in the low lying areas in Bicol, caused enormous damage to Agriculture and livestock (estimated at more or less P492.9 million) in Albay, Camarines Sur and Sorsogon.

• Of this amount, some P194 million were damages to infrastructure (major roads, bridges destroyed by landslides and floods) while P178.4 million were damages brought by flooding in Albay alone. (LVA-Foresight  Jan-June2008 issue)