II – Physical Characteristic:

    A. Topography:

The terrain of the Municipality is relatively plain that along the coastal areas and hilly in some areas. Lamitan is measured to be 2.5 meters above sea level and gently sloping to 320 meters towards the hinterland. Several rivers and creeks can be found in the locality which serve as drainage grounds. The gubawan river located in poblacion is the foremost of all serving a drainage ground for the Urban Center. The Urban Center Land Plateaus out ending a narrow strip in the west. One fourth of the total land area are level lands while the rest remains hilly and valleys.

B.     Climate:

The Climatological condition of the municipality is the same with that of the pronounced dry and wet season. It has a “D” type of climate wherein rainfall is more or less evenly throughout the year. Average annual rainfall reaches 188mm. The maximum monthly rainfall was recorded at 382.2 mm and the minimum is at 51 meters. The driest month recorded is February and the wettest is May. Peak months of rainfall usually occurs from May to August. Nine to nineteen days of rain each month is normal for Lamitan. Further details of the climatological data are in TABLE 2.

Table 2

CLIMATOLOGICAL LAMITAN MUNICIPALITY

Source: PAG-AS

C.   Wind Direction:

In Lamitan, Northwest winds prevails from four (4) to Six (6) kilometers per hour (KPH) from January to April and North to North easterly wind from May to December at 6 KPH as recorded by PAG-ASA.

D.   Typhoon/Flooding Hazard:

The island of Basilan, being outside of the typhoon belt area is never afflicted by typhoon. However, whenever, there is a heavy downfall of rains, the lower portion of the Municipal poblacion of Lamitan, Barangay Balobo and some portion of Barangay Limo-ok specifically the area along the creek considered to be the flood prone area is usually affected by flood.

E.   Soils:

            Land Capability/Fertility/Classification

            The record shows in Department of Agriculture that Lamitan has four types of soil. These are the Hydrosol, Bancal, Clay Loam, Bulawan Clay Loam and mountain soil differentiated. These types of soil are generally deficient in Nitrogen (N). Potassium (P) and Phosphorous (K). see soil map, for a detailed presentation of the areas where the various classification types of soil are located and its fertility.