ITBAYAT, BATANES — Residents in this northernmost town have begun shuttering their windows and securing their doors on Tuesday in anticipation of strong winds and heavy rains as Typhoon “Jenny” (international name: Koinu) gained strength, while moving northeast of this province.
In an interview, Kathleen Garcia, head of the municipal disaster risk reduction and management office, said an incident management team and emergency responders were ready to assist the locals.
Batanes was placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 due to the expected high speed of winds that could range from 62 to 88 kilometers per hour (kph), according to the 5 p.m. bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Tuesday.
“Fishermen are still hauling their small seacraft and motorboats to higher ground as a precaution,” Garcia said, noting that weather reports were updated and relayed to residents through bandillo, or mobile public address announcements.
She said at least 1,200 food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development were ready for disposal “should the need arise.”
According to Pagasa, the center of the eye of Jenny was estimated at 325 km east-northwest of this town and was moving northwestward at 10 kph as of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, packing a maximum sustained winds of 155 km per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 190 kph.
The typhoon was not expected to make landfall but continued to affect a large part of northern Luzon.
TCWS No. 1 remained hoisted over Cagayan province, including Babuyan Islands, and the northern and eastern portions of Isabela province (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, Santa Maria, San Pablo, Tumauini, Cabagan, Ilagan City, San Mariano, Santo Tomas, Dinapigue, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Gamu, Quirino, Delfin Albano, Quezon and Mallig).
Also under TCWS No. 1 were Apayao province, the northeastern portion of Abra province (Tineg, Lacub, Malibcong), the northern portion of Kalinga province (Balbalan, Pinukpuk, Rizal, City of Tabuk) and Ilocos Norte province.
Classes from Kindergarten to Grade 12 were suspended on Tuesday in Cagayan as Jenny also threatened the province.