LGUs need to have access to real-time rainfall monitoring —NDRRMC

Local government units (LGUs) should have access to real-time rainfall data to help them in their disaster response and evacuation plans, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRMC) said Saturday.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, NDRRMC Director and Defense Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad said that among the lessons learned after the onslaught of typhoon Usman is that rain gauge data should be accessible to LGUs.

"Importante sa kanila ang makakuha ng real-time rainfall accumulation sa mga lugar na makaka-apekto sa kanila... 'Yung data ay nandiyan sa rain gauges na nakakalat sa iba't ibang lugar sa ating bansa," Jalad said.

"Dapat accessible sa local government units para malaman nila kung ano na ang accumulated rainfall sa kanilang lugar," he said.

The NDRRMC official said that having real-time rainfall accumulation data could help LGUs in making decisions during calamities.

"Makakatulong 'yun sa decision making nila kung meron silang evacuation plan. Makakatulong 'yun sa pag-calibrate nila ng decision points such as kailan ba dapat sila magpa-evacuate," Jalad said.

"Napakahirap kasi para sa kanila na ang basis nila ng decision ay heavy rainfall advisory... na kung minsan kapag binibigay ay mainit pa sa kanila so may tendency ng resistance sa mga kababayan nila," he said.

The NDRRMC earlier reported that the number of fatalities due to Usman has climbed to 122, most of them in the Bicol region and due to landslides triggered by incessant rains. —Ted Cordero/KG, GMA News