ROXAS City – The disaster risk reduction and management offices of this city and Capiz province are on alert for the country’s first typhoon this year.
“Auring” is forecast to hit Western Visayas this weekend.
Mayor Ronnie Dadivas issued warnings to residents of the city.
“Mag-andam kag magpreparar. Ang city government nagabantay sa pagresponde,” said Dadivas.
As for Capiz, the provincial and various municipal disaster councils are preparing particularly for typhoon-induced flooding and landslides.
Preemptive evacuation will be ordered on residents in identified hazard-prone areas.
Municipalities were told to prepare their respective evacuation centers and relief goods.
“Auring” was spotted 535 km east-southeast of Surigao del Sur province’s Hinatuan municipality as of 10 a.m. Friday and packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near its center aside from gustiness of up to 115 kph.
In its 11 a.m. severe weather bulletin on Friday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the storm may generally move northwestwards while traversing Region XIII (Caraga), the Visayas and Mimaropa this Sunday (Feb. 21) and Monday (Feb. 22).
Light to moderate with at times heavy rain is possible this weekend over Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes and Masbate provinces in Bicol as well as parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, Pagasa said.
Scattered to widespread flooding – including flash floods – and rain-induced landslides may strike during heavy and prolonged rainfall particularly in areas that are either highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards, noted Pagasa.
“Adjacent or nearby areas may also experience flooding in the absence of such rainfall occurrence due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels,” it added.
“Auring” will likely weaken while crossing the country, PAGASA said. (PNA)
