LPA, shearline bring heavy rains, floods to Eastern Visayas

Tacloban City (CNN Philippines, November 18) — Continuous heavy downpour caused by a low pressure area (LPA) and a shearline over the weekend led to flooding in many areas around Eastern Visayas.  

On Saturday afternoon, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) issued rainfall and landslide warnings in the provinces of Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, and Southern Leyte due to flooding in low-lying areas.

In Calbayog City, several villages were submerged in the afternoon because of heavy rains. Among them were Migara, Sigo, Cacarasan, Geragaan, Panonongon, Guin-on, and some areas in the city proper.

Flood waters in these affected areas are from knee-deep to waist deep.

Samoyao village in Gandara town was also inundated.

In Borongan City, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office personnel deployed a monitoring team to check the condition of flood prone and landslide prone areas, such as Barangays Calicoan and Siha that are constantly hit by flooding.

Barangays Cagmanaba, San Roque, Jiwaran, Roxas, and Magsaysay in Jipapad town, Eastern Samar were underwater due to torrential rain.

Vicky Abestros of the Jipapad Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office said the evacuation of residents living in low-lying areas began after 4 p.m. on Saturday.