Local governments in Caraga, the Visayas and some parts of Bicol on Monday evacuated residents in high risk areas and placed all disaster response units on high alert as Tropical Depression ‘Verbena’ continued to bring widespread rains, prompting precautionary measures, sea travel suspensions and class cancellations.
Verbena had brought heavy rains in these areas before it made landfall over Bayabas, Surigao del Sur, at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, maintaining maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts up to 55 kph.
It was in the vicinity of Jabonga, Agusan del Norte, at 5 p.m. Monday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.
In Mindanao, classes in the provinces of Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Butuan City, 10 towns of Agusan del Sur, and Valencia City, Bukidnon province were suspended on Monday in anticipation of possible floods and landslides.
In the Visayas, among the localities that went on high alert were Borongan City in Eastern Samar; Naval, Biliran; Southern Leyte; Negros Occidental, especially in localities surrounding Mt. Kanlaon, where the rains could trigger lahar flow; and Iloilo
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Eastern Visayas listed 1,560 barangays as landslide-prone and 3,466 as flood-prone, urging residents to stay vigilant and report incidents to authorities.
In Southern Leyte, the Philippine Coast Guard reported 56 passengers, 29 rolling cargoes, and one vessel stranded in the ports of San Ricardo, San Juan, Padre Burgos, and Maasin City after a no-sailing policy took effect. Commercial trips between Cebu and Leyte, including routes to Ormoc, Baybay, Bato, and Hilongos, were also suspended.
Kanlaon alert
In Negros Occidental, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the rains could generate volcanic sediment flows, muddy runoffs, and riverine flooding around Kanlaon, which remains under Alert Level 2.
Lahars may form when rainfall remobilizes loose debris from the Oct. 24 eruption and subsequent ash emissions, warning that lahars could carry boulders and debris capable of burying communities and sweeping away structures.
Vulnerable schools
The Department of Education (DepEd) said over 10,700 schools nationwide face potential hazards due to the combined effects of Verbena and the shear line.
DepEd said 5,657 schools in 89 divisions were at risk of flooding, while 5,117 schools in 84 divisions are prone to rain-triggered landslides. These risks prompted widespread class suspensions across Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga, which were all under Tropical Wind Cyclone Signal No. 1.
A total of 4,343 public schools halted in-person classes, affecting more than 2.3 million learners and nearly 100,000 teachers. Eastern Visayas logged the highest number of affected students.