MANILA, Philippines—Pre-emptive evacuations have begun in several provinces as tropical cyclone “Chedeng” (international name: Songda) intensified into a typhoon, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Wednesday.
In a press briefing, NDRRMC administration Undersecretary Benito Ramos said that residents in various coastal and mountainous areas in the provinces of Albay, Sorsogon and Catanduanes have begun evacuating as of Wednesday noon.
However, the NDRRMC chief said that they had no exact figures on the number of evacuees as of yet. Ramos said the voluntary evacuation is in accordance with President Aquino’s zero-casualty order.
Ramos said the NDRRMC is preparing for a worst-case scenario.
He also appealed to the public to heed warnings made by authorities and evacuate as soon as their officials give the order.
In its latest weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Wednesday that Chedeng has intensified into a typhoon and is almost stationary over the seas of Northern Samar.
According to Pagasa, Chedeng was seen 350 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar, packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of 160 kph.
Chedeng is expected to move west northwest at 9 kph.
Signal No. 2 remains raised over Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Samar provinces, and signal 1 over Marinduque, Masbate, Southern Quezon, Northern Leyte and the islands of Burias, Polilio, Biliran and Ticao, Pagasa said.
Meanwhile, in a separate text message sent to members of the media, Major General Mario Chan, commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan, Samar, said that a total of 1,143 passengers were stranded as of 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in several ports in Samar after ferry trips were cancelled at 3 a.m, Wednesday due to Chedeng.
Chan added in the same text message that 92 trucks, 20 buses and 17 light vehicles were also stranded in the province. Meanwhile, moderate rainfall accompanied by winds had started to hit the province, the Chan said adding that electricity in the province was still running.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development has, meanwhile, prepositioned P3.19 million of stand-by funds and P22.53 million worth of relief supplies to be deployed to provinces that may be affected by Chedeng, the NDRRMC reported.
Likewise, Ramos said that he had already spoken to religious leaders and administrators of local gymnasiums and schools in areas that may be affected by Chedeng to make their facilities available for evacuees.
Ramos added that personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fire Protection are on standby for any eventuality.
Chedeng, the third tropical cyclone to enter the Philippine area of responsibility and the second to hit during the summer season, is expected to be 170 kilometers east northeast of Catarman, Northern Samar, or 210 kilometers southeast of Virac, Catanduanes, by Thursday morning. By Friday morning, Chedeng is forecast to be 160 km northwest of Virac, Catanduanes and at 200 km north of Baler, Aurora by Saturday morning.