‘Vinta’ to hit South, exit by Christmas
TROPICAL Storm Vinta (international code name: Tembin) was expected to make a landfall in Mindanao this Friday morning and will most likely be outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Christmas morning as local government units brace for the worst-case scenario.
The Philippine Atmospheric del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur. Geophysical and Astronomical Vinta was expected to hit the Services Administration (Pagasa) Surigao- Davao Oriental landsaid Vinta was located 340 kilomass on Thursday evening or meters east of Hinatuan, Surigao Friday morning. del Sur, at 10 a.m. on Thursday. “Only after 96 hours can we
It packed maximum sustained expect Vinta to be outside the winds of up to 65 kilometer per Philippine Area of Responsibilhour and gustiness of up to 80 ity,” weather specialist Loriedin kph and was forecast to move dela Cruz said. westward at 18 kph. The storm trajectory has been es
Five areas in Mindanao were under timated by Pagasa to pass through Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. Compostela Valley and a large 2, with winds of 61-120 kph, particuportion of Davao City westward larly in Davao Oriental, Surigao del towardsCotabato City. Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del While the distance between Norte and Agusan del Sur. Iligan City and the storm path
In the Visayas, 13 areas were is about 294 kilometers, the under Signal No.1: Southern Leyte, possibility of a strong sustained southern portion of Leyte and Bodownpour, gusty winds and hol, southern Cebu and Siquijor.
Also under Signal No. 1 in city, according to Peter Suson, Mindanao were Dinagat Is lands, Camiguin, Misamis Oriareas of Iligan in 2011. ental, Misamis Occidental, “Iligan has prepared for the Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, worst- case scenario,” said Vice Lanao del Sur, North Cotabato, Mayor Jemar Vera Cruz, who Maguindanao, the rest of Davao added that they met with memOriental, northern Davao del bers of the City Disaster Risk ReSur, Compostela Valley, Davao (CDRRMO) on Wednesday.
Iligan City administrator Cheryl Polledo said the CDRRMO has issued Advisory Number 1, an alert and monitoring status to be approved by Mayor Celso Regencia, after Pagasa issued Signal No. 1.
All rescue units have been alerted and rescue equipment prepared, including the city’s relief operations personnel and additional resources for relief goods distribution, Vera Cruz said.
Based on previous encounters with storms, the CDRRMO has identified several vulnerable areas in Iligan like Mandulog, Ubaldo Laya, Palao, Tubod and Mahayahay that could experience flooding.
Scattered to widespread moderate rains were forecast over Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Caraga, Davao Region and north- ern Mindanao while the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms caused by the tropical storm.
Caraga is comprised of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.
The Bicol Region, Mimaropa, Calabarzon and Aurora including Polillo Island will have cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms caused by the tail end of a cold front.
Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan make up Mimaropa while Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon comprise Calabarzon.
Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Region, Metro Manila, Ilocos Region and the rest of Luzon will have cloudy skies with isolated rains because of the northeast monsoon.
Meanwhile, the Cagayan De Oro Water District (COWD) has raised the “Level Three” warning in anticipation of Vinta .
COWD General Manager Rachel Beja said under Level Three alert, the district’s “emergency response team” was ordered activated while employees have been instructed to adopt precautionary measures to ensure their personal safety.
On Thursday, the district dispatched several teams to various areas in the city to check water pipe connections and reinforced pipelines to make sure that water services would not be disrupted once the storm sets in, Beja added.
He said the district’s emergency response team would focus on the safety of its workers by assisting in the evacuation of district employees who might be affected by Vinta .
Beja said about 700 district employees were directly or indirectly affected by the fury of Typhoon Sendong in 2011 with about 600 people confirmed dead and 500 others have remained missing.
In Misamis Oriental, Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano has ordered the activation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction to a higher level by mobilizing the province’s risk reduction team at the municipal level.
He also directed all other line provincial agencies to closely coordinate with the PDRRMO for immediate response to emergencies.
“I told the PDRRMO and other heads of the provincial government agencies to ‘stay awake’ and be on their post during the Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve.”