Jonas orders ‘red alert’ status for emergency responders

Source: Pagasa_Dost

CEBU CITY, Philippines –Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes has ordered a “red alert” status for emergency responders under the city’s Bantay Mandaue group as a preparation for emergencies that may result from Tropical Storm Ursula.

“Even with the Christmas celebrations tonight, our quick response teams (QRTs) have been deployed and are on standby for any untoward incidents,” Cortes said in a Facebook post Tuesday afternoon, December 24, 2019.

Cortes said that the city’s emergency responders have “also established alternative communication devices to ensure that communication lines will remain open during the onslaught of the typhoon.”

Read: Northern Cebu now under Signal no. 2

He said that the City Social Welfare Office has also “ensured the prepositioning of food and non-food items on the ground and is preparing for possible augmentation of relief supplies to any affected barangay.”

It started to rain in Mandaue City shortly after noontime on Tuesday.

Localities in northern Cebu were placed under Storm Signal Warning Signal No. 2 as of this morning while those in central Cebu remain under signal no. 1.

Sea travel remain suspended.

Read: 1.8K passengers, 178 vessels stranded in Cebu, Bohol ports

Meanwhile, Nagiel Bañacia, head of Lapu-Lapu City’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), is asking city residents to check, if not, remove outdoor Christmas decors because “these are potential hazards that might destroy your properties, cause injuries or cost your life.”

“Counter check within your surroundings and look for things that might hurt or kill you and cause damage to your properties when typhoon comes tonight or tomorrow morning,” he said.

Bañacia said that it is always better to prepare than be sorry.

“Let’s not put our guard down. Please do not downplay the impact of Tropical Storm Ursula,” he said. /bmjo