LEGAZPI CITY — The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in Bicol has placed all disaster response offices on red alert to prepare for the possible effects of Tropical Depression (TD) Enteng.
In a memorandum issued on Sunday, Claudio Yucot, Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-Bicol director and Bicol RDRRMC chairman, said raising of alert status from blue to red is necessary as “Enteng” is expected to bring moderate to heavy rains in the region.
“Due to possible effects of this weather disturbance in the region, the RDRRMC emergency operations center is raising its alert status to red starting Sept(ember),” the memorandum read.
Yucot said response clusters with various national government agencies as lead agencies have been activated.
These are the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development for food and non-food items and camp coordination and management in case of evacuation, Department of Information and Communications Technology for emergency telecommunications, Police Regional Office-5 for law and order, and Joint Task Force Bicolandia for search, rescue, and retrieval.
Also included are the Department of Public Works and Highways for debris cleaning, Department of the Interior and Local Government for management of the dead and missing and OCD for logistics, he said.
Yucot said the clusters should regularly submit updates and report status to RDRRMC emergency operations center every 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily to provide ample time for the center to collate all data.
He also ordered the Philippine Coast Guard and all Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices to ensure that the no-sailing policy is implemented.
OCD-5 reported that 21 passengers remain stranded in the port of Bulan in Sorsogon province.
Yucot advised provincial and local DRMMCs to explore all means of communicating advisories to the community amid possible interruptions of electricity, mobile, and internet connections.
“All response assets must be ready for deployment and close monitoring of the respective area of responsibilities,” he added.
Yucot said evacuation for high-risk areas and villages shall be led by the local DRRMCs in coordination with concerned agencies.
As of 2 p.m. Sunday, several Bicol provinces were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 as Enteng maintained its strength moving northwestward.
TCWS No.1 was hoisted over the eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Presentacion, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Calabanga, Naga City, Pili, Bombon, Magarao, Ocampo, Baao, Nabua, Bula, Balatan, Bato, Milaor, Minalabac, Camaligan, Saglay, Iriga City, Buhi, Tigaon, San Jose, Goa, Siruma, Tinambac, Lagonoy, Canaman, Gainza, San Fernando), Camarines Norte (Mercedes, Basud), Catanduanes province, Albay, Sorsogon, and Burias Island, and Ticao Island of Masbate province.
Also under TCWS No. 1 were the eastern portion of Isabela (Palanan, Dinapigue) and eastern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan) in Luzon; and Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, and the northeastern portion of Leyte (Babatngon, San Miguel, Tacloban City, Alangalang, Santa Fe, Palo, Barugo) in the Visayas.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the center of the eye was 110 kilometers east northeast of Catarman, Northern Samar.
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