Residents of Calabarzon, Mimaropa told to prepare for ‘Yolanda’

By: Maricar Cinco - 11 years ago

MTSAT ENHANCED-IR Satellite Image 2:30 p.m., 06 November 2013 https://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — Disaster mitigation officials in the Calabarzon and Mimaropa regions advised residents in threatened areas to prepare for pre-emptive evacuation before Typhoon Yolanda, which weather watchers say has the potential of turning into a supertyphoon.

But without actual public storm warnings, disaster officials say they could only “advise” and warn the public about the approaching typhoon, with the decision on actual evacuations still resting on local executives, said Fred Bragas of the Calabarzon Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The council is closely monitoring 84 municipalities identified as prone to landslides and floods in the Calabarzon region, which is made up of the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon.

These are the low-lying and lakeshore towns of San Pedro, Biñan, Sta Rosa, Cabuyao, Los Baños, Bay, Victoria, Pila, Sta. Cruz, Lumban, Paete, Pakil, Pila, Mabitac, Pangil, Siniloan, Sta. Maria, Famy, and Kalayaan in Laguna.

Also prone to flooding are the towns of Angono, Binangonan, Cardona, Morong, Baras, Tanay, Pililia, Jala-jala, Taytay, Rodriguez, San Mateo, Cainta, Teresa, and Antipolo City in Rizal.

In Cavite, towns at risk are Noveleta, Rosario, Kawit, Tanza, Ternate, Naic, Maragondon, General Trias, General Mariano Alvarez, Carmona, and the cities of Bacoor, Cavite and Imus.

In Batangas, disaster authorities warned about storm surges in the towns of Balayan, Calaca, Lemery, Taal, Tuy, Calatagan, Nasugbu, Lian, Bauan, Batangas City, Mabini, Mataas na Kahoy, Laurel, Talisay, Tanauan City, Malvar, Sta. Teresita, San Nicolas, Rosario, Padre Garcia, Lipa City, San Juan and Lobo.

In Quezon, the towns at risk are mostly those facing the Pacific Ocean, including Lucena City, Real, Infanta, Jomalig, Lucban, Mauban, Pagbilao, Panukulan, Polilio, Sampaloc, Tiaong, Buenavista, Atimonan, Gumaca and Perez.

Bragas said around 1,800 possible evacuation centers have been identified and the authorities have readied 700 rubber and wooden boats for rescue operations.

Vicente Tomazar, chief of the Calabarzon Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said they have enlisted the help of village officials to ensure that small vessels do not venture out to sea although the Philippine Coast Guard has not yet ordered the cancellation of any ferry service.

In the Mimaropa region made up of the two Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan, DRRMC chief Eugene Cabrera also warned of the damage that could be inflicted by Typhoon Yolanda, “which looks like it will be passing through all our five provinces, including Northern Palawan.”

He said disaster response teams and resources had to be set in place ahead of time.

“You see, Mimaropa has a very unique feature because it is composed of island provinces. Once the typhoon signal is up, all boat trips would be cancelled and an island province would have to fend for itself,” he said in a phone interview.

Local chief executives of the “high-risk” disaster areas, which make up most of the region, were advised to evacuate the residents not later than Thursday evening in the event the typhoon makes landfall early on Friday.