20 areas in Cebu now under Signal 1; LGUs urged to conduct preventive evacuation in high risk areas

The forecast track of Typhoon Tisoy (Photo from Pagasa)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Local disaster officers should exercise their judgment and implement preventive evacuation, if necessary, before experiencing the effects of Typhoon Tisoy, with 18 towns and two cities in northern and midwestern Cebu now under Storm Signal Number 1.

Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Neil Sanchez said the local disaster offices should take proactive measures in order to minimize risks in their locality due to the typhoon.

“Proactive measures. Kung kinahanglan ta nga mag-preventive evacuation sa mga coastal areas or low-lying areas, let us not wait for the weather to worsen,” Sanchez said in a phone interview on Sunday, December 1.

(If we need to implement a preventive evacuation for those living in coastal and low-lying areas, let us not wait for the weather to worsen.)

As of the 11 a.m.,  the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa),  placed 20 towns and cities in the northern section of Cebu under tropical cyclone warning signal number 1.

Those that are under Signal No. 1 are the towns of Madridejos, Bantayan and Santa Fe on Bantayan Island; Poro, Pilar, Tudela and San Francisco on Camotes Islands; Daanbantayan, San Remigio, Bogo City, Sogod, Tabogon, Borbon, Carmen, Catmon, Danao City and Medellin in the north; and Asturias, Tabuelan and Tuburan in the midwest.

Other areas under Storm Signal Number 1 are Quezon province, including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Burias and Ticao Island, Marinduque, and Romblon in Southern Luzon;  Aklan, Capiz, northern Iloilo (Ajuy, Anilao, Balasan, Banate, Barotac Viejo, Batad, Bingawan, Calinog, Carles, Concepcion, Dingle, Duenas, Estancia, Lambunao, Lemery, Passi City, San Dionisio, San Enrique, San Rafael, Sara), northern Antique (Culasi, Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Tibiao), northern Negros Occidental (Cadiz City, Calatrava, Enrique B. Magalona, Escalante City, Manapla, Sagay City, Silay City, Toboso, Victorias City) – all in Western Visayas; Samar, Biliran, Camotes Island, Leyte, and Southern Leyte – all in Eastern Visayas; and Dinagat Islands in Caraga in Mindanao.

Typhoon Tisoy was last spotted around 705 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes as it continues to move west at 25 kilometers per hour. It carries maximum sustained winds of 140 kph and gustiness of up to 170 kph.

Sanchez said he has already recommended to Governor Gwendolyn Garcia for the issuance of a class suspension order in these areas in Cebu for Monday, December 2, until the weather improves.

“I am about to [issue a class suspension order]. We are just ascertaining the specific LGUs that will be affected,” Garcia said in a message reply to CDN Digital.

Sanchez said the response cluster of the PDRRM Council will convene tomorrow for the other measures that they will take.

“The Engineering Office may need to send out some vehicles if naa gyud kinahanglan nga i-evacuate. Mao na ang gi-conisder namo ugma,” Sanchez said./elb