The City Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Department (CDRRMD) is beefing up its Comprehensive Disaster Risk Assessment (CDRA) with the installation of flood forecasting technology.

In an interview on Thursday, CDRRMD chief Nick Jabagat said the CDRA would use the flood forecasting technology to monitor flood-prone areas accurately in all 80 barangays here.

“Out of 80 villages in the city, 67 are assessed, and we are targeting to achieve 100 percent, or the remaining 13 unassessed barangays by the end of this year,” he said.

Jabagat said the city’s flooding problem is similar to that of other urban areas in the country due to its low-lying location.

This city serves as a catch basin for rainwater from upland areas such as Talakag town in the western part of Bukidnon province and Libona town in the east.

Jabagat said the flood control projects in the city are just one component of the mitigation measures.

“Let’s also consider the environmental impact due to forest denudation, land conversion, and mining operation in upland areas,” he added.

Currently, the CDRRMO is collating a geohazard map from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau for the city, including its neighboring towns in Bukidnon, which serves as a basin for bulk rainwater that pours to Cagayan River in the west and Tagoloan River in the east in Misamis Oriental.

Meanwhile, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Northern Mindanao (DENR-10) Director Henry Adornado said the agency will push to require private companies and industries to determine carbon sinks in the 900,000 hectares of forest lands in the region.

At present, five carbon sinks from industries in the region are managed by DENR-10.

Adornado said carbon sinks will strengthen the holding capacity in upland watersheds, helping to minimize flash floods. (PNA)