Hanna intensifies rain; Billboards taken down

MONSOON rains, enhanced by Typhoon Hanna, may trigger flashfloods and landslides, the state weather bureau Pagasa said yesterday.

The storm (international name Soudelor) intensified yesterday  with  sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 250 kph.

A gale warning was issued in Samar and Leyte  yesterday morning.

The typhoon will be out of the country by Sunday morning.

Pagasa said Hanna will not make landfall in the country but it is expected to make landfall in Northern Taiwan on Saturday.

Extreme Northern Luzon may be issued a public storm signal.

Engr. Alfredo Quiblat, acting Pagasa-Mactan chief, said Cebu residents can expect heavy rains today until tomorrow.

“The winds are moderate to heavy. As we experienced in the southwest monsoon, it is possible that rainfall will increase,” Quiblat said.

Forecast model

Hanna may develop into a super typhoon based on their weather forecast model, said Quiblat.

He said the very warm sea surface at the Pacific Ocean and low wind shear allowed Hanna to speed up quickly.

BILLBOARDS

In Cebu City, outdoor advertisers were asked to start rolling up the giant tarps on their  billboards to prevent accidents.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, head of the city’s command center, said the city government  may have to forcibly take down the billboards  in downtown Cebu City if its owners neglect to heed their order.

Mary Ann Alcordo-Solomon, president of the Outdoor Advertising Association of the Philippines (OAAP) Cebu chapter, said most of their 15 members already rolled up their billboards starting Tuesday.

While  their billboard designs could withstand wind of 150 to 180 kph, they decided to  take precautions.

“We also monitor the weather because our number one enemy is gustiness,” she said.

Billboards that remain standing are mostly from their non-members, Alcordo said.

All towns and cities in Cebu province have been alerted for  possible flooding and landslide.

Julius Regner, information officer of the PDRRMO, said they are focusing on Talisay City and Alegria town in  south Cebu since these areas are prone to flooding and landslide.

In Mandaue city,  payloaders and heavy equipment were placed on standby.

Mandaue City disaster management officer Felix Suico Jr., said they were re monitoring the Butuanon River and nine flood-prone barangays of  Subangdaku, Paknaan, Cabancalan, Guizo, Tipolo, Umapad, Maguikay, Banilad and Looc.

Precautions

Tumulak said he also called up barangay disaster management councils to take precautions.

“We  asked the barangays to prepare their equipment including those of the city government on standby. What we’re worried about now is possible landslidse and uprooted trees,” he said.

Tumulak said the city and the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) started trimming tree branches they don’t  affect power lines in case of strong winds.

Supt. Romeo Santander, chief of the Cebu City police’s Intelligence Branch (CIB) said more policemen will be sent to mountain barangays to help rescue teams.