TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, April 2 (PIA) – The Office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Eastern Visayas urged all local government executives to prepare for the onslaught of typhoon Chedeng and ensure the safety of their constituents.
In anticipation of the impact of the typhoon after it entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Wednesday night, DILG 8 through its Information Officer Myles Colasito, keep on updating the Oplan Listo Warnings on typhoon Chedeng. This tool, provided for local government units (LGUs) by DILG Center for Information and Coordination, showed the forecast track of typhoon Maysak/Chedeng which has moved a little north, leaving Northern Samar as the only province in the region included under “Alpha” of the Listo Warning System.
Despite the onset of the holy week, local government units are directed to undertake the necessary actions to protect lives and property and ensure that communication warnings from PAGASA and other agencies will go down to the barangays and households.
Meanwhile, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC-8) is set to conduct today a Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) Meeting at Ritz Tower de Leyte as part of the continuing preparations.
Heads of government agencies particularly members of the RDRRMC and LGU representatives are expected to attend the meeting.
Weather update from PAGASA showed that as of 11 PM (Wednesday), the center of typhoon Chedeng was located at 1,015 km East Northeast of Guiuan Eastern Samar or 1,040 km East of Borongan Eastern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 180 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 215 kph and is forecast to move west northwest at 19 kph.
Within the next few hours, PAGASA is expected to raise Public Storm Signal #1 over Bicol and Samar Provinces. Hence, sea travel over these areas will be possibly suspended. It is estimated to make landfall over eastern coast of Aurora, Quezon or Isabela by late Saturday or early Sunday.
The public is alerted against possible flashfloods over low-lying areas and landslides along mountain slopes. Storm surges and sea surface waves of up to 4 meters are possible over the eastern coast of Samar, Bicol and Aurora-Quezon. Likewise, fishermen are advised not to venture out to the seas. (cba/PIA-8)
