ILOILO City – Western Visayas is in the path of tropical depression “Samuel” which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility yesterday morning, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6 raised a blue alert, which meant representatives of all member agencies of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) must be on duty 24/7 at the Emergency Operation Center (OpCen) in Camp Delgado.
“Samuel” was forecast to make a landfall 40 km west southwest of Iloilo City on Wednesday morning.
As of 10 a.m. yesterday it was 980 km east southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. It had maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 65 kph. It was moving west southwest direction at 15 kph.
“Samuel” would bring moderate to heavy rains which may trigger flooding and landslides, according to OCD regional director Jose Roberto Nuñez.
“RDRRMC 6 OpCen is hereby raised to blue alert status effective Nov. 19,” read part of Nuñez’s Memorandum No. 104 -2018 released yesterday to chairpersons of city, provincial and municipal DRRMCs as well as barangay DRRM committees.
Three provinces – Iloilo, Antique and Negros Occidental – were within the 50-km track of the typhoon, according to Melissa Banias, OCD Region 6 information officer.
Member agencies of the RDRRMC included Pagasa, Department of Interior and Local Government, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, and Department of Agriculture.
Between last night or this Monday morning, according to Pagasa, typhoon warning signals may be raised over provinces in the eastern section of the Visayas and Mindanao.
It advised the residents in these areas to take precautionary measures, coordinate with local DRRM offices and monitor for weather updates.
“Fisherfolks and those with small seacrafts are advised not to venture out over the eastern seaboards of Visayas and of Mindanao due to the approaching tropical cyclone,” Pagasa added.
According to Banias, a pre-disaster risk assessment meeting of RDRRMC member agencies was held on Saturday but another is scheduled today.
She underscored the importance of being well-prepared.
The goal is zero casualties, she stressed.
“May ara na kita early warning so may reason kita to prepare. Indi na kita maghulat nga ara na ang bagyo tsaka pa kita maghulag,” said Banias./PN
