Albay on high alert for Juaning

LEGAZPI City, Philippines—The Albay Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council placed on high alert local disaster councils across the province as tropical depression Juaning hovered over the region, bringing heavy rains on Monday.

The high alert was issued after the state-run Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, or Pagasa, raised storm signal no. 1 over the Bicol provinces of Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte, as of 5 p.m., Monday.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, the PDRRMC chairman, issued an advisory placing the whole province on alert status and directing all 18 disaster councils in Albay to be on 24-hour stand-by.

The advisory also suspended classes in all levels until further notice to prevent stranding and casualties in case of flooding, river swelling and landslides spawned by heavy rains.

Residents living along river channels were warned not to cross swelling rivers and those living along mountain slopes to be alert for possible landslides.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) suspended sailing in various major ports in the Bicol region as public storm signal No. 1 took effect.

Pagasa said Juaning has maintained its strength and has been moving in a northwest direction.

Juaning was located at 250 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes, packing winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and moving northwest at 19 kilometers per hour.

Residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under signal No. 1 are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Juaning will continue to bring rains over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Western Mindanao, and rains will become widespread in Bicol and Samar, according to the Pagasa.