Typhoon Uwan: Cebu disaster officials warn public to heed warnings
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Disaster officials have urged residents to “do away with complacency” and prepare early as Typhoon Uwan places Cebu under Signal No. 1, just days after Typhoon Tino left widespread destruction across Metro Cebu.
Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC), called on Cebuanos to stay alert and heed warnings as the city braces for the possible impacts of Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong).
Tumulak said all barangays have been directed to activate their disaster preparedness protocols and begin preemptive evacuations, particularly in flood and landslide-prone areas.
READ: Uwan intensifies, may reach super typhoon status before landfall
READ: Typhoon Tino death toll rises to 188; 135 still missing – OCD
“Ato nang gi-disseminate sa tanan natong barangay nga mag-andam na sila sa bagyo ug dili magkompyansa,” Tumulak said in an interview on Saturday, November 8.
“We requested all Cebuanos to follow the instructions and warnings from barangay and local authorities, especially on preemptive evacuation.”
He warned residents against taking the new typhoon lightly, as many areas remain waterlogged and vulnerable from Tino’s record rainfall and flooding.
“There are some residents who refuse to evacuate because they’ve become used to past storms. But now, the ground is saturated and soft—humok pa kaayo—so it will easily flood. Those in flood-prone areas should evacuate immediately,” Tumulak added.
City on heightened alert
Cebu City remains under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1, with emergency operations now on heightened alert. The Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) will manage evacuation centers, while barangay disaster response teams have been directed to assist families in at-risk zones.
“The barangay chairmen were told to discourage residents from returning to their homes near rivers and flood-prone areas. The evacuation centers are open 24 hours, and residents may move in starting this afternoon,” Tumulak said.
The CCDRRMC is implementing the Operation Listo Protocols in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)–Cebu City Office, led by City Director Jonah Pino.
Among the key directives are:
- Convening barangay DRRM councils for pre-disaster risk assessments;
- Posting visible hazard maps and evacuation signage;
- Ensuring functional emergency equipment such as generators, flashlights, flotation devices, and chainsaws;
- Activating 24/7 shifts for barangay tanods and rescue teams; and
- Conducting recorida and preemptive evacuations for residents in landslide and flood-prone communities.
Thousands displaced by Typhoon Tino
In the aftermath of Typhoon Tino, Cebu City faced widespread devastation, leaving thousands of residents in evacuation centers.
According to the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO), at least 50 barangays across the north and south districts reported evacuees. In the north, 576 families (4,222 individuals) sought shelter in 34 evacuation centers, while the southern district accommodated 2,063 families (11,527 individuals) in 41 evacuation sites, bringing the total displaced population to more than 15,700 people.
The CCDRRMO also recorded 30 casualties, including 19 deaths, resulting from flooding and landslides in Cebu City alone. Citywide, Typhoon Tino claimed 139 lives, injured 84, and left several others missing, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
The figures were based on reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and remained subject to validation as search and retrieval operations continued.
The typhoon left Metro Cebu grappling with power outages, disrupted business operations, and damaged infrastructure across multiple districts.
READ: LIST: Canceled flights on Nov. 9, 10 due to Uwan
Uwan may intensify into super typhoon
As of 4 a.m. Saturday, Typhoon Uwan was located 985 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 160 kph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Moving west-northwest at 25 kph, Uwan is forecast to bring torrential rains, destructive winds, and storm surges to parts of Luzon and the Visayas over the next few days. Pagasa warned that the cyclone could rapidly intensify into a super typhoon by tonight or early Sunday.
Wind Signal No. 2 is up over Catanduanes and parts of Eastern and Northern Samar, while Signal No. 1 covers much of Luzon, including Metro Manila, and the rest of Eastern Visayas, Northern and Central Cebu, Bohol, Biliran, and Leyte.
Pagasa Administrator Dr. Nathaniel Servando warned that Uwan’s massive wind circulation, extending up to 780 kilometers from its center, could cause heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides even in areas outside its direct path.
“These conditions pose life-threatening risks, especially in low-lying or exposed coastal areas. We urge the public to closely monitor warnings and heed evacuation orders from local authorities,” Servando said.
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