By LITO RULONA Correspondent THE capitol’s and city hall’s disaster response teams have continued to be on alert after the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecast a series of thunderstorms in Northern Mindanao until year-end. Fernando Dy, head of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said his team has been closely monitoring rivers in the province because thunderstorms mean heavy rains could suddenly hit anytime. “Pagbusdak sa kusog nga ulan gi-alerto dayun nato atong mga monitoring team. Una ang kusog nga ulan sa province ayha na dayun sa Cagayan de Oro,” Dy said. He said the capitol has already advised municipal disaster groups about the thunderstorms that could result in floodings and landslides. Virgil Lago of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department said emergency response team members in the city were also alerted after Pagasa warned of thunderstorms such as the one that struck on Monday. Pagasa has warned that thunderstorms are dangerous and so, residents were advised to prepare emergency kits and have communication plan for their families. Thunderstorms typically produce heavy rain for a brief period, anywhere from 30 minutes to more than an hour. “Anytime karon andam na kita kay halos kumpleto na atong gamit,” Lago said. He said eastern barangays from Lapasan to Bugo are among the priority areas being closely monitored. “Walay formation karon sa low pressure area but after they (Pagasa) issued weather warning, alerto na usab kita,” Lago said. Lago said one of the areas they have been monitoring are Talakag and nearby municipalities in Bukidnon because heavy downpours in these places could result in flashfloods in the city. Meanwhile, Dy said the capitol was still upgrading communication facilities for every municipality to ensure effective monitorings. On Monday evening, Governor Yevgeny Vincente Emano had asked all members of the communication networks in the province to log-in inside their network and help sending reports at the Provincial Capitol for them to immediately send response team. Dy said the capitol has been coordinating with the provincial government of Camiguin for the installation of a repeater tower in the island province in the hope of improving communication in eastern Misamis Oriental where there are “dead spots.” The capitol considers as dead spots areas in Sugbongcogon, Kinoguitan, Balingoan, Medina, Magsaysay and Gingoog City.