National Grid moves to protect power transmission lines from storm Juaning

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Philippines – The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has activated its command centers in all areas within the path of storm Juaning, including that of the overall command center at its head office in Diliman, Quezon City.

The preparations and precautions have been implemented to minimize the impact of tropical storm Juaning on the power transmission facilities, said Edna Legaspina, media officer of NGCP in Ormoc City.

Under the Grid’s Integrated Typhoon Action Plan (ITAP), they have been monitoring Juaning using the Enterprise Geographic Information System (EGIS) Mapviewer.

In an emailed statement on Tuesday, Legaspina said they have put in place contingency measures to ensure the availability of telecommunication facilities, equipment, tools and vehicles at all times during the storm.

She added that they have positioned line crews in strategic areas and made available the materials and supplies necessary for the repair of possible damage to the NGCP facilities.

Maasin City and the rest of the province of Southern Leyte have been experiencing big waves brought about by tropical storm Juaning. The heavy rains that occurred the past few days due to Juaning also resulted in the flooding of several rice fields in the areas facing the Pacific Ocean.

A fisherman in Maasin City lost his catch after his boat capsized due to big waves while he was paddling to the shoreline near his house.

In Northern Samar, there were no reports of casualties or damages caused by tropical storm Juaning, according to Amancio Unay, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC).

Unay said on Tuesday that there were no reports of flooding in the flood-prone areas along the Las Navas River in the second district.

There were also no reports of stranded passengers at the two seaports in Allen town as ferry boats, carrying a maximum of 1,000 tons of vehicles, continued to sail, he added.