Bicol disaster execs on ‘blue alert’ for ‘Maysak’

Civil defense officials in the Bicol region are now on “blue alert” as typhoon “Maysak” threatens to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

Jessar Adornado, spokesman of Office of Civil Defense-Bicol, said they are bracing for Maysak, to be renamed “Chedeng” once it enters PAR, as it moves nearer Bicol’s eastern seaboard.

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He said blue alert means government offices and agencies, including the Department of Education and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), will be ready to deploy their responders, distribute relief goods and make use of their facilities, such as school buildings, as temporary evacuation centers.

Adornado said of particular concern is Catanduanes as it lies directly on the path of the storm, based on the pre-disaster risk assessment conducted on Monday by the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol (OCD 5)and the data from the state weather bureau.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), in its 11 a.m. bulletin Wednesday, said the typhoon is still too far to affect any part of the country. It said storm signals may be raised on Friday.

Pagasa located Maysak at 1,280 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 250 kph. It is forecast to move west northwest at 17 kph.

The Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) of Albay and Catanduanes have been alerted for possible damage should the storm continue to trace its path through Bicol region in the next two days, said Adornado.

He said the blue alert will be raised to “red alert” once storm signals are raised over Bicol. At red alert, evacuation will be done on coastal barangays, low-lying and landslide prone areas.

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He said storm surges and gale warnings may be possible in coastal areas. “The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is prepared for the number of passengers who might be stranded in Bicol ports once a gale warning against sea travel is raised.”

Adornado said DSWD assured enough food on stock for relief goods for evacuees and stranded passengers who could take refuge in evacuation centers during the storm.

In Albay, an advisory issued by the PDRRMC at 10 a.m. Wednesday placed all disaster units on a “state of monitoring.”

This means disaster units in cities, towns and barangays should be ready to activate their disaster preparedness and response plans in case the typhoon affects Bicol Region. IDL