OCD gearing up for preventive evacuation in Cagayan, Batanes as typhoon looms

Typhoon “Mawar” moves northward as it bears down on the US territory of Guam. (Image taken on May 23, 2023 from PAGASA website.)

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Wednesday said it is preparing for preventive evacuation in the provinces of Cagayan and Batanes over the weekend as Typhoon Mawar approaches.

“The general projection is Batanes and some parts of Cagayan,” OCD spokesperson Raffy Alejandro IV said in a phone interview when where the preventive evacuation will be carried out.

“Based on its present state, it’s better to do our preventive [evacuation] by the weekend. But we would still observe if it will strengthen or weaken, then we will adjust our [preventive evacuation],” he pointed out.

“Mawar” has since been downgraded from a super typhoon to a typhoon as of 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, but its re-intensification is not being ruled out, according to Rhea Torres, weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Torres said the typhoon is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility by Friday or Saturday, while the typhoon’s trough or extension would approach northern Luzon by Monday.

Once it enters the PAR, the typhoon will be given the local name “Betty.”

It will be the second storm to hit the country this year and the first this month.

gsg/abc