Quezon gov raises alert for Tropical Storm ‘Auring’

LUCENA CITY –– As Severe Tropical Storm “Auring” (international name “Dujuan”) intensifies, Quezon Gov. Danilo Suarez has ordered all disaster management teams in the province to prepare for the first typhoon to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this year.

In his Memorandum Order No. 139 issued Feb. 18, Suarez tasked the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) and their counterparts in all local governments in the province “to undertake necessary precautionary measures and comprehensively monitor any untoward incident in their respective AORs (area of responsibility).”

The provincial and local disaster preparedness officials were also ordered to heed protocols listed by “Operation Listo (Operation Alert)” of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The protocols seek to strengthen disaster alertness, preparedness, response, and monitoring by local government units.

“It is not yet expected to bring heavy rains today, but there is an increasing likelihood of heavy rainfall affecting Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, Rizal) and other provinces over the weekend through Monday,” Suarez said in his order.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 11 a.m. severe weather bulletin that Auring had intensified into a Severe Tropical Storm as it moved slowly over the Philippine Sea east of Mindanao.

The eye of the typhoon was spotted some 535 kilometers east southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur at 10 a.m., packing maximum sustained winds of 95 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 115 km/h.

Signal No. 1 has been raised over the eastern portion of Davao de Oro (Pantukan, Maragusan, New Bataan, Compostela, Monkayo) in anticipation of the strong winds from the cyclone, which may range from strong breeze to near-gale force winds.

Also under Signal No. 1 are the eastern portion of Agusan del Sur (Sibagat, Bayugan City, Prosperidad, Talacogon, San Francisco, Rosario, Bunawan, Santa Josefa, Trento), and Surigao del Sur.

Auring was forecast to make landfall over the eastern coast of the Caraga Region on Sunday, Feb. 21, after which it would follow a generally northwestward path as it traverses Caraga, Visayas, and Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) on Sunday and Monday.

Pagasa advised some areas in the country, including Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) region to prepare for possible floods and landslides.

Last year, Typhoons “Rolly,” “Pepito,” and “Quinta” destroyed more than a billion pesos worth of agricultural products in Quezon.

Three persons died in the province during the onslaught of Tisoy (international name: Kammuri) in December 2019, and close to 14,000 families were evacuated.

LZB