Super Typhoon Bavi: No direct hit but Cebu alert for rains
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu has maintained disaster preparedness measures although Super Typhoon Bavi poses no direct threat to the province, with authorities expecting possible rain from an enhanced southwest monsoon.
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief Dennis Pastor said current forecasts indicate the tropical cyclone will likely stay away from Cebu.
However, he said Bavi could strengthen the southwest monsoon or habagat, bringing moderate rainfall to parts of the Visayas based on the latest forecast from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
READ: Super Typhoon Bavi still outside PAR, no direct impact on PH weather yet
Response teams on standby
Pastor said the PDRRMO has already placed rescue teams, flood boats, and other emergency equipment on standby to assist local government units if needed.
“It will not directly affect Cebu but still, preparations have been made,” Pastor said.
He added that the provincial disaster office continues to coordinate with local governments and concerned agencies to address any possible effects of the enhanced southwest monsoon.
Pastor said local governments are closely monitoring rivers and tributaries previously identified by Pagasa as flood-prone, including those in Cotcot, Mananga, Guinabasan, Balamban, and Sapangdaku.
He added that disaster response units are also watching landslide-prone areas such as the Cebu Transcentral Highway, while maintaining communication with local responders.
READ: Super Typhoon Bavi less likely to hit PH; heavy rains, gusts expected
Provincial Information Office head Ainjeliz dela Torre-Orong said Gov. Pamela Baricuatro has ordered the advance preparation of food packs for immediate distribution should emergencies arise.
She added that the Provincial Engineering Office and Capitol-run hospitals have likewise been instructed to heighten their readiness and provide additional support if necessary.
Bavi nearing PAR
Pagasa said Super Typhoon Bavi has remained outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday morning, July 7.
As of 11 a.m. today, the cyclone was located 1,845 kilometers east of Central Luzon, moving west-northwest at 20 kilometers per hour.
It packed maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour near the center, with gusts reaching up to 230 kilometers per hour.
READ: Super typhoon Bavi may enter PAR by July 8; fair weather seen July 5
Pagasa said the tropical cyclone may enter PAR between Tuesday evening and early Wednesday.
Once inside the country’s area of responsibility, it will be assigned the local name “Inday.”
Although landfall remains unlikely, Pagasa said the typhoon’s strength and wide circulation could still prompt the raising of tropical cyclone wind signals over the northern and eastern portions of Northern Luzon as early as Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning.
The weather bureau also said wind signals over the eastern portions of Southern Luzon and the Visayas cannot be ruled out because of uncertainties in the extent of the typhoon’s strong winds.
READ: Cebu to begin week with fair weather, isolated rains
Pagasa added that the enhanced southwest monsoon, combined with Bavi’s outer circulation, is expected to bring strong to gale-force wind gusts over Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, most of Mimaropa, most of the Bicol Region, most of the Visayas, and most of Mindanao on Wednesday.
These conditions are forecast to affect much of the country by Thursday.
Pagasa urged the public and disaster risk reduction and management offices to continue monitoring official weather advisories and updates related to the tropical cyclone.
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