Flights canceled as Auring hits Phl
Classes were suspended, some local flights were cancelled and ferries barred from sailing in Visayas and Mindanao as Tropical Depression Auring slammed into Surigao del Norte province yesterday afternoon.
Auring – the first cyclone to enter the Philippines this year – made landfall over Siargao Island at 3 p.m. yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
As of 4 p. m., the cyclone was spotted in the vicinity of Cagdianao in the Dinagat group of islands with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 70 kph.
It is forecast to move northwest at nine kph, or two kph faster than its previous speed.
Auring hit the landmass of Mindanao earlier than expected after it slightly changed speed and direction. It was earlier forecast to hit Surigao del Sur last night or early this morning.
Tropical cyclone warning Signal No. 1 is hoisted over Cuyo Island, Bohol, Siquijor, Negros provinces, Southern Leyte, Cebu, Guimaras, southern part of Iloilo, southern part of Antique, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, including Siargao Island, Dinagat province, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin.
The weather bureau has lifted the cyclone signal in Agusan del Sur, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, northern Davao Oriental, northern Zamboanga del Norte, Lanao del Norte, northern Lanao del Sur and Compostela Valley provinces, which were earlier projected to be hit by Auring.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) convened its pre-disaster risk assessment core group to prepare for Auring’s impact among communities.
Ricardo Jalad, NDRRMC executive director, met the group, which include the Departments of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to ensure the pre-positioning of relief goods, rescue equipment and emergency response units, among other things needed before Auring strikes early today.
Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo said the DSWD disaster response operations monitoring and information center also conducted its predictive analytics on the weather disturbance to better map out its humanitarian response.
The analysis showed some 976,704 families or more than 4.88 million persons would likely be affected.
These people are living in areas that are either “highly or very highly susceptible” to landslide or flooding in the regions of Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Negros Island, Soccsargen, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Davao and Western Visayas.
PAGASA said Auring would bring moderate to occasional heavy rainfall in areas within its 300-km diameter.
“Once again, preparation is the key to everyone’s safety in times of emergencies. Please do not ignore the announcements of your local authorities,” Taguiwalo urged.
Early yesterday, the Butuan City government ordered the suspension of classes on all levels today as the Agusan del Sur Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office reported that seven towns were already flooded.
At least 82 families in Butuan and 236 elsewhere in Agusan del Norte were evacuated. Potable water supply to some areas in Butuan were also cut, prompting its water district to ration since yesterday morning.
Classes in Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte and Dinagat were also suspended as local governments units (LGUs) continue to warn their constituents of flash floods and landslides.
Small boats and vessels were also prohibited from sailing over Mindanao’s eastern seaboard.
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) reported that more than 2,000 passengers were stranded in the Nasipit port in Agusan del Norte and Lipata port in Surigao City.
Lt. Atanacio Bagawe Jr., Philippine Coast Guard commander for Surigao del Norte, earlier ordered the cancellation of all sea travel to and from Surigao City, Siargao Island, Dinagat Islands, Liloan and Benet in Southern Leyte, and Cebu City.
DILG officials have also alerted LGUs to follow or implement Operation Listo protocols.
“The public is advised to prepare and continuously monitor weather updates via radio, television and social media. Tourists are advised to cancel activities like mountaineering or swimming until the tropical cyclone has left the country,” the NDRRMC said.
At least 6,100 family food packs were sent to the “geographically hard to reach areas” of Caraga region with each pack containing six kilos of rice, eight canned goods, and six 3-in-1 coffee mix.
The DSWD in Caraga also has an extra stockpile of 3,594 packs, which can be easily sent should the need arise.
Auring is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday.