Albay gears up for typhoon Pablo (Bopha)

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 1 (PIA) -- Albay province, like other provinces in the Bicol region, is now placed under Red Alert Status in anticipation of and preparation for the possible adverse effects of typhoon Pablo (international name: Bopha).

Albay Governor Joey Salceda, chair of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), said the province is implementing counter measures in compliance with Bicol DRRMC advisory, Saturday, in the wake of an impending weather disturbance estimated to be nearest Albay between 11 p.m. on Dec. 4 and 4 a.m. the next day.

“PDRRMC member agencies and support organizations are also directed to be on Red Alert status in the wake of the urgency and criticality of the situation in order to have zero casualty in this period of disaster,” Salceda said.

Salceda furthered that disaster councils of cities, municipalities, and barangays in the province are also directed to be on heightened alert and activate their respective operations centers for monitoring of the situations from Pagasa, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol and Albay PDRRMC through the province’s info board, radio and television broadcasts.

The Department of Education (DepEd) is also directed to make an inventory and prepare classrooms across the province for safe evacuation of residents who may be evacuated, while the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) will prepare relief requirements.

The Provincial Health Office (PHO) is already directed to preposition medicines and ready medical personnel and services necessary for emergency eventualities.

Military and police personnel are also readied for prepositioning and securing disaster threatened areas.

Evacuation of residents, including their personal effects and animals, and especially the most vulnerable groups during disasters to include children, senior citizens, pregnant women, lactating mothers, persons with disabilities will start on Tuesday, Dec. 4.

Bicol DRRMC in earlier advisory today meanwhile has also placed all member agencies and support organization under Red Alert status, including providing regular updates from Pagasa, response agencies and units, prepositioning of relief supplies, intensified information dissemination, and appropriate preparations and implementation of contingency plans of respective local DRRMCs across Bicol region.

Pagasa latest bulletin today reported that at 2 p.m., typhoon Bopha was located based on satellite and surface data at 1,600 km east of southern Mindanao (5.1°n, 141.1°e) with maximum sustained winds of 165 kph and gustiness of up to 200 kph and forecast to move west northwest at 20 kph. (MAL-PIA5, Albay)