LEGAZPI CITY, Albay, Philippines?The country might be visited by 15 more typhoons in the remaining months of this year, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said here Sunday.
But Nathaniel Cruz, Pagasa acting deputy administrator for operation and services, said in a lecture-forum here that ?it is not only typhoons that call for preparedness but also other hydro-meteorological hazards such as heavy and continuous rains, thunderstorms, cold fronts, easterly waves, intertropical convergent zones, and tropical cyclones.?
?The Bicol region, particularly Albay province which is very prone to these weather disasters, including Mayon volcano?s lahar, has put all preparedness measures in place, especially during floods and landslides that also occur amid mere heavy and continuous rains,? Governor Joey Salceda told reporters during the open forum.
Warnings
Bicol, which is closely similar to Batanes Islands when it comes to typhoons, needs to prepare not only during the typhoon season but also on a 365-day-a-year basis, according to Cruz.
?When there is typhoon, however, the people of Albay are no longer afraid because they have been trained to prepare themselves on the basis of the preemptive measures.?
Although Mayon volcano is not posing any possible eruptive threat, Landrico Dalida Jr., assistant weather services chief of the Pagasa central office, warned Albayanos that the province is host to cloud formations that bring rains even without warnings.
?Warnings are there in the events of typhoons but during rains, it is the built-in initiative of the people of Albay that guide them against these hazards,? Dalida said.
Salceda said the installation of the modern Doppler Radar System was on the way. The Doppler Radar to be installed in Catanduanes and Camarines Norte will form part of the upgrading of the Legazpi Weather Station into the Southern Luzon Weather Bureau.
The Doppler Radar System is financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, said Salceda.
