INTERIOR Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla yesterday urged local government units in the Cordillera Administrative Region and the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions to implement preemptive evacuation of residents in hazard areas and preposition relief goods and other resources in anticipation of the effects of severe tropical storm “Ofel.”
“Ofel will pass your areas … Please take note of our advisories such as preemptive evacuation, geohazards, among others. We will follow the same protocols,” he said.
Ofel, the country’s 15th tropical cyclone for this year, is expected to further intensify into a typhoon today, a day before making landfall in Cagayan or Isabela, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
The cyclone that came before Ofel, “Nika,” exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) yesterday afternoon after making landfall in Aurora province on Monday.
Ofel is forecast to exit PAR on Saturday or Sunday.
The Department of Interior and Local Government urged concerned local government units (LGUs) to ensure that emergency response teams, rescue units, and personnel are alerted and fully equipped to respond to emergencies.
The LGUs were also advised to preposition relief goods for those to be affected by Ofel.
PAGASA said Ofel may “steadily intensify” and reach the typhoon category this afternoon or evening.
“The highest wind signal which may be hoisted during the occurrence of Ofel is Signal No. 4,” it also said.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Ofel was some 780 km east of Virac in Catanduanes, PAGASA said in a bulletin issued at 5 p.m. Ofel was moving west northwestward at 30 kph, packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph.
“Ofel is forecast to move west northwestward over the Philippine Sea before making landfall along the east coast of Cagayan or Isabela on Thursday afternoon or evening,” said PAGASA.
“Regardless of the position of the landfall point, it must be emphasized that hazards on land and coastal waters may still be experienced in areas outside the landfall point or forecast confidence cone,” PAGASA also said.
Cagayan and Isabela were among the many areas that recent tropical cyclones, specifically “Kristine,” “Leon,” “Marce” and Nika, hit.
FLOODS, LANDSLIDES
PAGASA said heavy to intense rains are expected in Isabela, and moderate to heavy rains in Cagayan, Apayao, Aurora, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Ifugao starting this afternoon until Thursday afternoon.
From Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon, intense to torrential rains are expected in Isabela and Cagayan.
During the same period, heavy to intense rains are expected in Apayao, Abra, Batanes, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Ifugao; and moderate to heavy rains in Aurora, Ilocos Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, Quirino and Ilocos Sur.
“Widespread incidents of severe flooding and landslides expected,” said PAGASA of the areas forecast to experience intense to torrential rains.
As to areas that will experience heavy to intense rains, PAGASA said, “Numerous flooding events are likely, especially in areas that are urbanized, low lying, or near rivers. Landslide (are) likely in moderate to highly susceptible areas.”
‘BALANCE’
President Marcos Jr. on Monday night, said while he is aware of the successive typhoons that frequent the country yearly, it was his first time to see a series of severe tropical storms or typhoons to hit the Philippines one after the other.
The President said the country does not even get a respite in between the strong storms.
“I’ve been around for a long time – I don’t remember seeing these many – one after the other, of this strength. In the past there are maybe a strong typhoon, followed by another with weak winds. But now they are all strong and one after another,” he said in mixed Filipino and English.
“So, this is the balance… this is the tightrope that we are trying to navigate…We don’t have a textbook to follow. We don’t have a template to follow. It is climate change, and it is the new reality that we are having to face,” he added.
Marcos assured the public that both the local and national governments are fully mobilized to protect their safety and welfare.
He said the government continues to monitor the situation and does what it can to first, ensure the safety of everyone, then ensure that there is enough water and power and to immediately restore power and communication when it is down.
SUSPENSION
Remulla yesterday said the suspension of government work and classes would be announced at least a day ahead of a typhoon’s arrival.
He said the President has authorized his agency to announce the suspension if the Office of the President has not made any announcement.
Remulla, meanwhile, acknowledged the LGUs s in Cagayan province for successfully implementing the preemptive evacuation of some 8,000 families during the onslaught of Nika.
He said the downpour from Nika and the flooding that ensued had resulted in fallen trees that damaged several houses.
“(Of) the 8,000 families who were affected, approximately 50 to 60 of their homes were totally destroyed by falling trees and the effects of the rain. So, we would have a lot of casualties if they were not preemptively evacuated,” he said.
Remulla said lessons learned from the onslaught of Kristine and the other typhoons are being taken into consideration in preparing for the others storms. – With Jocelyn Montemayor
