No individuals have been evacuated yet in the provinces of Cagayan and Batanes despite the rainfall and wind threat brought by Severe Tropical Storm Julian, their respective provincial disaster risk reduction and management offices (PDRRMO) said Sunday.
However authorities are on alert and preparations have been made for disaster response.
Cagayan PDRRMO head Ruelie Rapsing said that the northeastern part of Cagayan was experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall, while its southern portion was having light to moderate rain.
“So far, walang ni-report sa atin na inilikas. Itong northeastern portion natin ay hindi naman kasi flood-prone municipalities ‘to, hindi ito mga low-lying areas. Itong nasa shoreline, ang mga hazards nito ay more or less rain-induced landslides ang kanyang primary hazards,” he said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.
(So far, no one has been reportedly evacuated. The northeastern portion doesn’t have flood-prone municipalities because they are not low-lying areas. The ones on the shoreline may have rain-induced landslides as primary hazards.)
Rapsing said that the northeastern municipalities are currently on red alert, but quick response teams were already pre-deployed.
Food and non-food items, as well as assets needed in case of preemptive evacuation, were also pre-positioned.
He also said that the emergency operations center and incident management teams of the northeastern municipalities were already in place, bracing for the effects of Julian.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is currently raised over the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana) and the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Camiguin Is., Babuyan Is.).
These areas will have gale-force winds with speeds of 62 to 88 km/h in 24 hours, posing minor to moderate threat to life and property.
Meanwhile, in Batanes, PDRRMO head Roldan Esdicul said that light to moderate rains were also being experienced.
“Nakahanda na ang ating mga evacuation centers pero wala pa rin pong preemptive evacuation kasi medyo tolerable pa naman,” he said in a separate Super Radyo dzBB interview.
(Our evacuation centers are ready but there is still no preemptive evacuation because the weather is still quite tolerable.)
“‘Yun nga lang, meron tayong mga turista rito na medyo nai-stranded na rito,” he added.
(However, some tourists here have become stranded.)
Batanes, along with other areas, are currently under TCWS No. 1, meaning strong winds with speeds of 39 to 61 km/h may be experienced in 36 hours, posing minimal to minor threat to life and property.
Esdicul said that preparations are ongoing for Julian, which may make a landfall or close approach over Batanes and/or Babuyan Islands on Monday.
Julian may intensify further and become a typhoon on Sunday evening or Monday early morning.
However, “there is high chance of rapid intensification, and the possibility of reaching super typhoon category is not ruled out,” according to state weather bureau PAGASA. —KG, GMA Integrated News
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