ILOILO City – A low pressure area (LPA) east of Surigao del Sur may develop into a tropical depression within the next 48 hours and affect Western Visayas, too, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa). The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is alerting residents of the region.
Western Visayas was placed under “medium risk” on Sunday following the recommendation of pre-disaster and risk analysts to Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and OCD administrator.
The latest Pagasa forecast placed the LPA 185 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.
Also under “medium risk” were regions 4-B, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, Caraga, and Calabarzon.
Under the classification, Alpha protocol should be implemented which included the dissemination of warning messages, advisories and relevant directives; initiation of succeeding Pre-Disaster and Risk Assessment and other emergency meetings as needed; and the direction to DRRMC member agencies to anticipate response for any eventuality.
Weather analysts consider two possible scenarios:
* LPA to cross Visayas and southwestern Luzon until it emerges over the West Philippine Sea late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
* LPA to turn more northward after reaching Caraga-Eastern Visayas area and head towards Bicol region by Tuesday
According to weather analysts, there’s an increased likelihood of moderate to heavy rains over southwestern Luzon, the western and central portions of Visayas and the western portion of Mindanao.
Jalad highlighted the importance of preparing for possible worse case scenarios and the active cascading of information to local government units, DRRMCs and media partners.
OCD-6 and Regional Task Force 6 chairman, Jose Roberto Nuñez, meanwhile, reiterated to the public the importance of preparation and immediate response in disasters, especially amid the threat coronavirus disease 2019./PN
