Cagayan Valley placed on blue alert ahead of ‘Emong’

TUGUEGARAO CITY—The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) has placed Cagayan Valley on blue code alert starting Monday, July 5, as Tropical Depression “Emong” accelerates towards extreme northern Luzon.

The blue alert means half of the staff of government agencies involved in disaster preparation would be on standby for any emergencies.

Harold Cabreros, director of OCD in Cagayan Valley, said they initiated a pre-disaster risk assessment with concerned government agencies.

Cabreros said they have alerted the local disaster risk reduction and management offices of the local government units and the regional disaster councils.

Residents in the coastal towns of Palanan, Divilacan, Maconacon, and Dinapigue in Isabela province were asked to prepare for the impact of Emong.

A “no fishing and no sailing policy” has also been imposed on the region.

The center of Emong was estimated at 385 kilometers east northeast of Tuguegarao City as of 7 a.m. Monday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

LZB