‘Nona’ forces suspension of work in all gov’t, private firms in Albay

LEGAZPI CITY – Albay Governor Joey Salceda has ordered the suspension of work in all government and private firms, including banks and commercial centers, in the province on Monday in view of the sudden escalation of public storm warning on Albay to Signal number 3.

Salceda, through his official Facebook page, issued the directive past 10 p.m., about an hour after the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) initiated the evacuation of thousands of residents in threatened areas across the province amid reports that Albay will be in the direct path of Typhoon Nona affecting practically its entire landmass when it hits sometime between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that as of 10 p.m. Sunday, the eye of Typhoon Nona was located 325 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar packing a sustained wind of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 185 kph.

Pagasa placed under Storm Signal Number 3 the provinces of Albay, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Ticao Island in Masbate, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar and Samar.

The Albay provincial board has declared the province under a “state of imminent disaster,” allowing Salceda to use his emergency power to suspend work in all establishments both public and private except in public entities engaged in disaster response.

“This is to keep our people from exposing themselves to the hazards (heavy rains, strong winds, floods, landslides and lahar flows) if they go out to transact with banks and purchase necessities with commercial establishments,” said Salceda.

He said his order has been cleared with the Department of the Interior and Local Government in the Bicol region and with the Office of Civil Defense-Bicol (OCD 5).

Disaster response workers, aided by the military and local police, have also started the massive evacuation of residents in threatened areas beginning 9 p.m. and were expected to have moved out of harm’s way some 130,000 individuals by 8 a.m. tomorrow, according to OCD 5 head Bernardo Alejandro.