By CESAR JOLITO III
The Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC) was placed under Red Alert, while several local government units (LGUs) declared class and work suspensions as Tropical Cyclone “Tino,” which is expected to pass through Negros Island, intensified into a severe tropical storm yesterday.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson issued a memorandum on Saturday, November 1, directing all response clusters and local disaster offices to coordinate closely with their lead agencies following the activation of the provincial response clusters.
All concerned agencies and local disaster management offices have been advised “to submit their preparedness measures and response actions, and to conduct preemptive evacuations if necessary,” Lacson said.
He added that all incidents related to the cyclone must be promptly reported to the Provincial Emergency Operations Center, along with corresponding situation reports.
In Bacolod City, Mayor Greg Gasataya assured residents that emergency and response teams are on standby to address any possible effects of the approaching storm.
“As we expect heavy rainfall in the following days, we ask everyone to remain calm and stay safe,” Gasataya said.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), as of 5:00 p.m. yesterday, “Tino” was located 805 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 115 kph.
The weather disturbance is moving westward at 30 kph and is expected to make landfall over Caraga Region or Eastern Visayas on Monday night, November 3 or Tuesday morning, November 4.
Pagasa said “Tino” may intensify into a typhoon as it traverses parts of Visayas, including Negros Island, before moving toward the West Philippine Sea by Wednesday.
No tropical cyclone wind signal is in effect in the Negros Island Region.
By Monday, heavy to torrential rains are expected to begin, with Negros Occidental forecast to experience 100 to 200 millimeters of rainfall by Tuesday.
This amount of rain could bring flooding in low-lying and urban areas and trigger landslides in upland communities.
Storm surge
Due to the combined effects of “Tino” and the northeast monsoon or amihan, rough to very rough seas are also expected along the northern, western and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the eastern coasts of Visayas and Mindanao over the next three days.
Pagasa said a high risk of storm surge, reaching one to two meters, may occur in the next 48 hours in the low-lying coastal communities in the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Cadiz, Escalante, Himamaylan, Talisay, Victorias, Sagay, San Carlos, and Silay, as well as the municipalities of Calatrava, Binalbagan, E.B. Magalona, Hinigaran, Ilog, Manapla, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, San Enrique, Toboso, and Valladolid.
Residents near the shore are advised to stay away from the coast or beach, cancel all marine activities, and move to higher grounds away from the coast and storm surge-prone areas.
Class and work suspensions
As a precautionary measure, several LGUs in Negros Occidental, including capital Bacolod City, have declared class and work suspensions in anticipation of “Tino’s” impact early next week.
The following LGUs have announced class and work suspensions:
* Bacolod City — November 3 to 4; all levels, public and private
* Toboso — November 3 to 4; all levels, public and private
* Don Salvador Benedicto — November 3 to 4; all levels, public and private
* Calatrava — November 4 to 6; all levels
* La Carlota City — November 3 to 4; all levels, public and private
* Ilog — November 4; all levels, public and private
* Manapla — November 3 to 4; all levels, public and private
* La Castellana — November 3 to 4; all levels, public and private
* Sagay City — November 3 to 4; all levels, public and private; work suspended in government offices
* Cadiz City — November 3; all levels, public and private; work suspended in government offices
* E.B. Magalona — November 3 to 4; all levels
* Moises Padilla — November 3 to 4; all levels, public and private
* Pulupandan — November 3 to 4; all levels, public and private/CJ, WDJ