Disaster Body Alerts Folks

LAOAG CITY, May 9 – The provincial government convened its provincial disaster risk and reduction management council today in preparation for the effects of typhoon Bebeng.

The province is under storm signal number 1 based on the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (PAGASA) weather update at 11 am today.

Despite the storm signal, the province has been partly cloudy and sunny with minimal and intermitten rains since early today.

Windell Chua, provincial administrator, said the council has alerted residents on any emergency that Bebeng would bring if the storm intensifies.

“We need to prepare now even if the rains are minimal. This is the first storm during the rainy season, this might bring surprising effects,” he said.

Chua said the council was also reminded to check its inventory of food packs and relief items for the coming rainy season.
As of 11 am today, Bebeng has weakened slightly as it made landfall over Northern Casiguran, Aurora, Pagasa said.

Based on the weather bureau’s monitoring, the storm’s center is located 80 kilometers south, southeast of Tuguegarao City or 55 kilometers north, northwest of Casiguran, Aurora.

Bebeng has maximum winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph, the bureau said.

It is expected to move 90 kilometers southwest of Basco, Batanes on Tuesday morning; 240 kilometers northeast of Itbayat on Wednesday morning and 580 kilometers northeast of Itbayat on Thursday morning.

Storm signal number 2, with 60 to 100 kph-winds, remains up in Aurora, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Mt. Province, Kalinga and Cagayan. Storm signal number 1, with 30 to 60 kph-winds, is hoisted in Northern Quezon, Polillo Island, Nueva Ecija, Benguet, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Babuyan Calayan group of Islands and Batanes.

The weather bureau said Bebeng is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rains over the rest of Southern Luzon and of Visayas.

It advised residents in low lying areas and near mountain slopes under storm signals to take all the necessary precautions against possible flash floods and landslides.

Those living in coastal areas are also alerted against big waves or storm surges generated by the tropical cyclone, Pagasa said.