Laoag City—Ilocos Norte's provincial government is deploying its backhoe, excavator, and other equipment to towns and villages to accelerate the desilting of rivers and creeks in anticipation of heavy rainfall that could trigger flash floods in low-lying areas.
According to Philippines News Agency, local disaster risk reduction and management officer of Ilocos Norte, desilting efforts are ongoing in the flood-prone areas of Paoay, Pinili, Badoc, and Pagudpud towns.
"We are declogging these waterways in anticipation of heavy rains and to restore their depth to prevent overflow that inundates nearby communities," Tabije said. In addition to lending equipment, the provincial government is implementing cash-for-work and emergency employment programs focused on massive clean-up drives for simultaneous declogging of waterways across the province. Critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, flood control structures, and irrigation systems are also being monitored since the onset of the rainy season.
"We continue to appeal to all our kakailian (constituents) to always be prepared as the rainy days have come," Tabije added. The latest geohazard study conducted by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) highlighted the need to dredge rivers and creeks in the province to induce water flow into the sea and reduce riverbank erosion and flooding. The MGB also recommended that local governments avoid settlement at the foot of mountains, areas immediately adjacent to river channels, near canyons, and gullies transecting upland areas.