Pagasa: Cebu to feel ‘Auring’s’ impact today

THE Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Mactan has reminded Cebuanos not to be complacent with the possible impact of tropical storm Auring in the province.

Jhomer Eclarino, Pagasa-Mactan weather specialist, said the situation in Cebu Island and the rest of the region will still be critical on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021.

Cebu experienced fairly good weather the whole morning of Sunday, Feb. 21. It only started to rain past 5 p.m.

“Actually, many asked how come it didn’t rain yet. Many said that there was no typhoon. But actually, the typhoon has yet to make landfall. So Cebu can still expect occasional heavy rains,” he said in a mix of Cebuano and English.

Eclarino said Cebu can also expect strong winds on Monday because of Auring and the northeast monsoon or amihan.

These conditions, he said, are dangerous because these can cause floods and landslides.

He said Bohol and Southern Leyte experienced moderate to heavy rains on Sunday.

He said Auring is expected to make landfall between Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar and Leyte area around Monday dawn.

Cebu Island is still under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1.

As of 4 p.m. on Sunday, Eclarino said Auring’s center was around 355 kilometers east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It was forecast to maintain its strength in the next 12 hours.

Eclarino said Auring slightly accelerates as it moves northwestward at 20 kph.

However, he said there is a possibility that it will weaken into a tropical depression when it makes landfall.

He said sea travel remains risky due to rough and very rough sea condition.

Like the rest of Cebu, there were no incidents related to the weather disturbance in Mandaue City on Sunday.

According to Buddy Alain Ybañez, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) head, the situation was stable.

Although the city experienced scattered rain showers, the level of waterways that traverse the city, including the Butuanon River, did not go up, he said.

Ybañez said the CDRRMO continued its “rekorida” or information drive in barangays on things the public needed to prepare during a typhoon.

He said the emergency operations center for tropical storm Auring has been on standby at the City Command Center since Saturday, Feb 20.

The EOC is composed of representatives from different agencies like the CDRRMO, Mandaue City Police Office, Bureau of Fire Protection, City Social Welfare and Services, Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue and the Department of General Services.

Emergency and rescue vehicles of CDRRMO are on standby in front of the City Hall and in its substations in Barangays Subangdaku, Jagobiao and Casuntingan. (WBS, KFD)