TD Vicky leaves Palawan unscathed

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — Palawan province was unscathed from tropical depression Vicky as it exits the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), officials said Sunday.

Jerry Alili, chief of Palawan provincial disaster risk reduction management office (PDRRMO), in a phone interview said that they are “preparing to stand down” as Vicky makes its exit.

“We’re preparing to stand down, except Kalayaan which is still under monitoring. Sunny in general, [Vicky was] almost unfelt, unchanged situation since Saturday afternoon, heavy rains but those were just for a short period,” Alili said.

Vicky was estimated at 135 kilometers east southeast of Kalayaan Islands Group based on the latest weather bulletin from Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Maurice Phillip Albayda, administrative officer of Kalayaan town, said that the 95 evacuees in the island municipality were temporarily pegged to return to their homes on Monday morning.

In Linapacan, 125 town locals who were preemptively evacuated were expected to return home in the afternoon.

Earl Timbancaya, chief of City Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), in a separate interview, said no weather-related incidents were reported as of posting, as Vicky barreled through the northern part of the city on Saturday evening.

With sustained winds of 55 kilometer per hour (kph) near its center, and gustiness of up to 70 kph, Vicky is expected to be out of the Philippine area of responsibility late Sunday.

JE