ILOILO City – The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Region 6 raised the alert status of the entire Western Visayas to red effective 12 noon yesterday due to Super Typhoon “Karding” (international name: Noru) and the southwest monsoon.
Following this alert status, the 24/7 Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (RDRRMOC) will be in close monitoring, consolidate reports, and coordinate with concerned agencies and stakeholders.
The raising of the alert status was concurred by the pre-disaster risk analysis (PDRA) Analyst Group in its virtual meeting held yesterday afternoon.
Moreover, the regional council also activated the Charlie Protocol or the highest Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) protocol.
RDRRMC-6 noted that five provinces in the region namely, Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental were classified as high risk/susceptible to landslide and flooding, based on the data of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region 6.
RDRRMC-6 chairperson, OCD-6 regional director Jose Roberto R. Nuñez already issued RDRRMC Memorandum No. 86-2022 with regards to these activations.
Currently, active clusters are Camp Coordination and Camp Management, Protection, Food and Non-Food Items, Law and Order, Logistics, and Health.
Meanwhile, clusters on Search, Rescue and Retrieval, Education, Management of the Dead and Missing, Shelter, Emergency Telecommunications, and Philippine International Humanitarian Assistance (PIHAC) are on standby.
All local DRRM councils in the region are directed to closely monitor their respective area of responsibility, submit situation reports to RDRRMC-6 EOC, and strengthen coordination with the RDRRMC-6 member agencies.
The public is also advised to remain vigilant and monitor weather updates.
Preemptive evacuation is encouraged as needed especially in low lying areas and those that are high risk of landslides.
“Karding”, the country’s 11th tropical cyclone for 2022, made its first landfall at 5:30 p.m. yesterday in the vicinity of Burdeos, Quezon, state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
In its 5 p.m. severe weather bulletin, PAGASA said Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 5 was hoisted over the following areas:
* Polillo Islands;
* the extreme northern portion of Quezon (the northern and central portions of General Nakar, the northeastern portion of Infanta);
* the extreme southern portion of Aurora (Dingalan);
* the extreme southern portion of Nueva Ecija (General Tinio, City of Gapan, Peñaranda, San Isidro, Cabiao);
* Pampanga (Arayat, Candaba, Santa Ana, San Luis);
* the eastern and central portions of Bulacan (San Rafael, Angat, Norzagaray, Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Ildefonso, San Miguel) and;
* the extreme northern portion of Rizal (Rodriguez),
* the eastern portion of Pampanga (Candaba, Arayat)./PN
