By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Western Visayas was placed on alert by the Office of Civil Defense Region VI yesterday due to Tropical Depression “Lannie.”
Based on the Severe Weather Bulletin issued at 5:00 p.m. yesterday by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), “Lannie” was already over Guihulngan in Negros Oriental.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, with gusts at 55 kph.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 was also remained hoisted over Negros Occidental, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo as of 5:00 p.m. yesterday.
According to PAGASA, areas under TCWS No. 1 will experience strong winds with occasional gusts. Moderate to rough seas will also be experienced over the seaboards, thus, small seacrafts are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea.
“Lannie” is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, based on the data presented by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau 6 (MGB-6), an estimated 1,111 barangays in the region may be affected by the typhoon. These lists of barangays have already been disseminated to the concerned local government units (LGUs) for their monitoring.
All disaster risk reduction management offices (DRRMOs) also presented their preparedness measures for the typhoon.
Among these include the issuance of advisories to local DRRMOs to raise their alert status to blue to ensure 24/7 seamless coordination, immediate dissemination of warnings and advisories, and active monitoring of their respective areas of responsibility.
They have also ensured that they have already prepositioned their response teams, vehicles, rescue equipment, and relief goods.
In Negros Occidental, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson placed the province’s DRRMO’s to “Red Alert” status and advised them to take the appropriate measures for possible flooding, or landslides.
Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday had also ordered the DRRMO-Response Team to be on standby and be ready to be deployed anytime.
Coast Guard Station-Negros Occidental commander, Captain Ludovico Librilla, meanwhile, ordered a suspension of all sea trips from Negros Occidental bound for Iloilo City and Dumangas town from Bacolod City, as well as trips originating from the cities of Sagay, Escalante and San Carlos bound for the ports of Tabuelan, Tuburan and Toledo City in Cebu.
Librilla also barred all fishing vessels in the province from venturing out to sea until the weather clears./DGB, WDJ