RAINY CHRISTMAS: Portions of Region 6 under Signal No. 1 due TS ‘Ursula’

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

Expect a rainy Christmas this Wednesday as Tropical Storm “Ursula” is expected to dump moderate to heavy rains in portions of Western Visayas as it continues to move west northwest.

Based on its severe weather advisory issued at 5 p.m. on Monday, PAGASA has raised Storm Signal No. 1 in the following areas in the region namely, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras  and northern Negros Occidental (Bacolod City, Bago, Cadiz, Calatrava, Enrique B. Magalona, Escalante, La Carlota, La Castellana, Manapla, Moises Padilla, Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Isabela, Murcia, Pontevedra,Pulupandan, Sagay, Salvador, Benedicto, San Carlos, San Enrique, Silay, Talisay, Toboso, Valladolid, Victorias).

“We are expecting a rainy Christmas mabaskog ini siya nga bagyo with maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometer per hour,” Aletha Nogra head of the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Division of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) 6 said in a phone interview on Monday.

Based on the forecast of PAGASA, moderate to heavy rains are expected over Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, and the northern portions of Cebu and Negros Occidental between Tuesday afternoon and during Christmas day, December 25, 2019.

“Residents in these areas are advised to take appropriate measures to reduce the potential impact of flooding and rain-induced landslides, especially in areas identified to be highly to very highly susceptible to these hazards,” PAGASA said.

Effective 5 p.m. Monday, Nogra said the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (RDRRMOC) already raised its blue alert status to prepare for TS Ursula.

In his memorandum, RDRRM Council chairman Jose Roberto Nuñez required all the DRRM offices to raise the status of their respective operations center into blue alert for close monitoring and swift coordination with concerned agencies

“Since the DRRM offices are the front liners they have to ensure the level of preparedness in their respective areas and identify areas that are at risk of flooding or rising sea levels,” she said.

Meanwhile, Nogra also appealed to the public to forego any scheduled holiday travels especially during Christmas since areas in WV has been placed under Storm Signal No. 1 due to TS Ursula.

“Maguligmat kita sa dalan especially sa December 24-25 kay kadamo nga nagabiyahe nga nagakadto sa mga outing kag magspend Christmas. Kon pwede i–forego anay naton kay ara kita sa Signal 1 and para indi ma-stranded,” she said.

At 4:00 PM today, the center of TS was estimated based on all available data at 670 km East of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, according to PAGASA.

Ursula is forecasted to gradually intensify to at most Severe Tropical Storm category prior to landfall over Eastern Visayas on Tuesday afternoon or evening.