Local officials told: Stay on alert until Chedeng leaves PH

MANILA, Philippines – Even as tropical depression “Chedeng” weakened after making landfall, local officials in affected areas were told not to lower their guard until the weather disturbance has passed.

Interior secretary Mar Roxas ordered the continuous monitoring and response to constituents’ needs, as Chedeng might bring light to moderate rains, triggering rockfall in mountainous regions.

“We ask the mayors to ensure the safety of their residents and those on vacation. Let us continue monitoring and attending to their needs while keeping posted on weather updates,” Roxas said.

In particular, officials in provinces in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Southern Luzon and Bicol were alerted to Chedeng’s possible impact.

The concerned local government units with the local police implemented the preemptive evacuation of 2,140 residents of Aurora and Isabela provinces, prior to the weather disturbance’s landfall.

Chedeng, formerly a typhoon, was downgraded to a tropical depression when it made landfall in Dinapigue, Isabela on Sunday morning.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said 431 families from the towns of Dinapigue, Divilacan, and Maconacon in Isabela have been staying in 16 evacuation centers as of Sunday morning.

Most were preemptively evacuated as their houses are located in low-lying and coastal areas.

In Aurora, 17 evacuation centers were opened to some 258 preemptively evacuated families, although the families have returned home as of Sunday.

Around 75 people were reported stranded at the Marinduque ports in Mogpog and Boac on Sunday.

Soliman also advised those returning to the city after their Holy Week vacation should not travel if they are passing by landslide and flashflood prone areas.

“We don’t want you to be hurt so please heed the call of authorities for evacuation and suspension of travel,” the official said.

Soliman said the Search, Rescue and Retrieval Cluster of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has deployed communications teams in Dinapigue, Casiguran, Dilasag, and Dipaculao in Aurora province to ensure that communication in these areas will not be cut.

Disaster teams of the Department of Social Welfare and Development were also fielded to assist LGUs in disaster relief operations and management of evacuation centers.

“DSWD disaster teams will continue to monitor the situation and assess the extent of the disaster so that we can provide appropriate services for the affected families,” Soliman added.