Regional disaster management councils told to be ready for Maysak —NDRRMC

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) is almost done with its preparations for super typhoon Maysak which is expected to enter the country Wednesday night or early Thursday, its executive director said on TV on Wednesday afternoon.

 

In a live phonepatch interview with GMA News TV's “Quick Response Team” Wednesday afternoon, NDRRMC executive director Undersecretary Alexander Pama said local executives of the provinces where Maysak is forecast to make landfall, has already been briefed on the preparations that they need to undertake in anticipation of the cyclone.

 

Maysak will be named as “Chedeng” once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

 

Pama said the regional offices of NDRRMC in areas expected to be affected by the super typhoon are already on standby.

 

“Nakapag bigay na po tayo ng guidance sa mga regional directors ng NDRRMC at kaalinsunod po niyan ay yung koordinasyon din sa ating mga lokal na executives,” Pama said.

 

“Sila po ay nabigyan na ng mga guidance at instructions kung ano yung mga kahandaan na dapat nilang gawin base dun sa tinatayang magiging epekto ng bagyo kung mananatili siya dun sa forecast na binigay ng PAGASA,” he added.

 

In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, aired live in GMA Radyo DZBB, forecasters of state weather bureau PAGASA said Maysak is expected to enter the PAR Wednesday night or early morning on Thursday.

 

It is expected to make its first landfall in Quezon province or in the Bicol region, even though there is still a possibility that the super typhoon might change its track in the next few hours.

 

In its 4 p.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA located Maysak at 1,165 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 190 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 225 kph. It is forecast to move west, northwest at 20 kph.

 

Pama said that while the track of Maysak is still uncertain, all areas within the 600-kilometer radius of the storm's track were given advance warnings and were briefed about the necessary preparations.

 

“Sa ngayon, dahil medyo malayo pa siya at papasok palang sa area of responsibility ay malawak pa po yung tinatawag nating 'cone of uncertainty'...Kaya po yung mga probinsiya na nasa loob ng radius ng diameter ng bagyo, yung nasa loob ng 600 kilometro, ito po ang binibigyan natin ng advance warning tungkol sa mga kahandaan na dapat gawin,” Pama said.

 

Pama said among the areas that they continue to closely monitor are Quezon Province, Bicol Region, Central Luzon and western part of Luzon.

 

Pama said relief and medical items were already prepositioned by the response cluster of the NDRRMC in these areas.

 

“ Kasama na rin po yan sa paghahanda ng ating response cluster, sa pamumuno ng DILG. At hindi lang relief items ang ating inihahanda, kundi kasama na rin sa pagpla-plano kung anong klaseng mga relief items, kung gano karami, saan ipre-position yung mga yan. Lahat po iyan nakaalinsunod sa forecast na binibigay ng PAGASA,” Pama said.

 

Pama also said that heavy equipments for clearing operations were already prepositioned in key areas.

 

“Mula po kanina ay kasama rin natin dito ang kinatawan ng DPWH. At base sa aming meeting ay nakaprepositioned na po ang mga heavy equipment,” Pama said.

 

“At hindi lang po ang DPWH kundi pati na rin po ang mga kagamitan ng mga lokal government na maapektuhan kung sakaling magtuloy-tuloy ang napipintong tatahakin ng bagyong ito ay nakapreposition na,” he added.

 

Pama, meanwhile, advised the vacationers in provinces where Maysak is expected to pass to coordinate with local authorities.

 

“Ulit-ulitin lang po natin ang ating pakiusap sa ating mga kababayan, lalo na ang mga dayo na nagbabakasyon sa mga probinsya. Kung pwede po ay makipag ugnayan sa lokal na awtoridad,” Pama said. “Para ang buhay din nila ay hindi malagay sa balad ng alanganin, at para narin po sa proper accounting, upang alam ng lokal na pamahalaan kung sino at nasaan yung mga bisita.” —Elizabeth Marcelo/NB, GMA News

Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/463010/news/nation/regional-disaster-management-councils-told-to-be-ready-for-maysak-ndrrmc






admin Kazumi