ILOILO City – Western Visayas is bracing for another tropical depression that could intensify and reach super typhoon category.
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), through Memorandum No. 71-2023, yesterday raised the region’’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) status to “blue alert” and activated the Bravo Protocol, the second highest Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR).
Likewise, RDRRMC recommended EPR protocol to be activated in six provinces and two highly urbanized cities in the region.
The raising of blue alert and Bravo Protocol was an offshoot of the Pre-disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) Core Group meeting for Tropical Depression “Egay” held yesterday.
The provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental and the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo were classified as high risk/susceptible to landslide and flooding.
Moreover, Camp Coordination and Camp Management, Food and Non-Food Items, Logistics and Search, Rescue and Retrieval clusters were also activated and on standby.
All local DRRM councils in the region are further directed to closely monitor their respective area of responsibility, submit situation reports to RDRRMC EOC, and strengthen coordination with the RDRRMC member agencies.
Meanwhile, local DRRM offices are directed to activate the following EPR protocols or higher as deemed necessary:
* Aklan (low risk) – Alpha
* Antique (moderate risk) – Bravo
* Capiz (moderate risk) – Bravo
* Guimaras (low risk) – Alpha
* Iloilo (Moderate risk) – Bravo
* Negros Occidental (moderate risk) – Bravo
* Iloilo City (low risk) – Alpha
* Bacolod City (low risk) – Alpha
“The activation of EPR protocols shall be effective immediately,” said RDRRMC chairperson Ma. Aletha Nogra, officer-in-charge of the Office of Civil Defense 6.
210 barangays prone to landslide and flooding
The region has 210 barangays susceptible to landslide and flooding, according to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Forecast for Rain-Induced Landslide and Flood.
Majority of these barangays are in Antique (113), followed by Negros Occidental (84), Aklan (10), Capiz (two), and Guimaras (one).
Tropical Depressin “Egay” is forecast to track generally west northwestward until late Sunday before turning northwestward over the Philippine Sea east of Luzon for the remainder of forecast period.
While the current track forecast shows that “Egay” will remain offshore over the waters east of Luzon, the forecast confidence cone shows that a landfall scenario over the eastern portion of mainland Cagayan and Batanes is not ruled out.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), in its 5 p.m. forecast yesterday, said “Egay” could intensify in the next 12 hours into a tropical storm and could be super typhoon by late Monday or early Tuesday as it moves over the Philippine Sea.
“Egay” could also enhance the southwest monsoon, which could cause strong breeze to near gale conditions with intermittent gusts beginning on Saturday over Western Visayas, Mimaropa, and the western portion of Mindanao.
“Considering these developments, the public and disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned are advised to take all necessary measures to protect life and property. Persons living in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards are advised to follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials,” PAGASA warned./PN
