• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Western Visayas is now under blue alert status, in the wake of havoc created by the effects of the El Niño phenomenon in the region.
In an memorandum issued to all local disaster councils in Region 6, the RDRRMC-6 said it noted below normal rainfall conditions in the past several months, which has an adverse impact to water resources in Negros Occidental, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo and Guimaras, which are currently experiencing drought.
The raising of blue alert status aims to heighten monitoring and coordination of any untoward incidents during the entire period of El Niño, disclosed Raul Fernandez, Office of the Civil Defense chair for Western Visayas, who also sits as RDRRMC-6 chair.
The value of damage to agricultural crops in Western Visayas has reached P770 million, according to the RDRRMC 6 reports.
The observance of blue alert status also led to the activation of logistics, law and order, food and non-food, health and education clusters, according to the RDRRMC 6 memorandum.*
