BAGUIO CITY – Typhoon “Ineng” left minimal damage in the city despite the abnormal rainfall and strong winds that battered the city starting Thursday.
“We are thankful that despite the rainfall that exceeded the normal level and the strong winds, our city sustained minimal damage,” Mayor Mauricio Domogan said on Wednesday.
The mayor commiserated with Benguet and other provinces that incurred casualties and huge damages because of the monsoon rains triggered by the howler.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) disaster operations center under city administrator Carlos Canilao said a total of 25 families were evacuated due to landslides and fallen trees or boulders. Most of them were in barangays Kias, Lower Cabinet Hill and Happy Hallow.
The CDRRMC recorded 70 fallen or endangered trees, one flooding incident in Bakakeng Sur, five landslides, one rockslide, two blown roofs, four cases of soil erosion, five eroded ripraps, two fallen boulders and two hanging signages.
Thirty five incidents of electrical problems mostly due to fallen trees or posts were also recorded which accounted for the power outage that hit a big part of the city from Friday to Saturday.
Kennon Road was closed to traffic immediately last August 21 due to a huge landslide at Camp 7 while Marcos Highway and Naguilian Road remained open.
Domogan as early as Wednesday activated the CDRRMC disaster operations center to facilitate coordination and dissemination of advisories.
Canilao said all agencies engaged in disaster and emergency response were activated in full force to respond to concerns and ensure the general welfare and safety of the public.
Barangay disaster brigades were also urged to convene and man their respective operation centers in their barangays and to advise their constituents especially those living within identified high risk areas to be on alert and to undertake preemptive evacuation when necessary.
The center mobilized all operatives and trained volunteers and responded to reported incidents./A Refuerzo
