EDITORIAL - More floods ahead

It’s supposed to be the dry, cool season. The weather bureau, however, announced Friday that a short-lived La Niña has developed in the tropical Pacific.

In this part of the planet, this means above-normal rainfall, floods, landslides and increased tropical cyclone activity until early next year, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

The warning from PAGASA cannot be ignored. With climate change, above-normal rainfall could mean extreme rainfall that spawns cataclysmic flash floods and killer landslides.

Such weather is expected during the wet season. But the holiday season is normally cool and mild, with most people typically on vacation mode. The early part of the year is also not associated with heavy rain and flooding.

PAGASA’s warning could be shrugged off. Considering the unpredictability and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events hitting the country, complacency could pose a risk to disaster response and mitigation.

All scientific studies point to the Philippines as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change and extreme weather. A La Niña warning should spur preparations for dealing with off-season tropical cyclones.

It’s not unusual for the country to be hit by tropical cyclones in December and January. The strongest, Typhoon Pablo, struck Mindanao on Dec. 4, 2012, leaving some 1,900 people dead and missing mostly in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley. Super Typhoon Odette struck the Visayas and Mindanao on Dec. 16, 2021, leaving over 400 dead. On Dec. 14, 2015, Typhoon Nona also killed 51 people as it made several landfalls from the Visayas to Luzon.

On Christmas Day 2016, Typhoon Nina slammed Bicol.

January has also had its share of strong cyclones. In January 2014, two tropical storms – Agaton and Basyang – struck Mindanao and the Visayas.

So the nation cannot afford to let down its guard. Especially after seeing what extreme weather and inadequate flood control unleashed in Cebu and Negros provinces when Typhoon Tino struck in November. As of the last count, Tino had left 269 people dead while another 28 died during the subsequent onslaught of Super Typhoon Uwan.

Additional measures for disaster preparedness are needed in the light of revelations that projects meant for flood control are either substandard or non-existent. With the warning from PAGASA, there must be no room for complacency.