THE Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has ordered all local disaster offices to monitor their respective cities and towns especially those in northern Cebu as adverse weather conditions brought strong northerly winds and nonstop rain.
Wilson Ramos, PDRRMO interim officer said a storm surge occurred in Barangay Luyang, Carmen town damaging a house owned by a certain Lilia Remoto.
Boat trips from the ports of Danao City, Medellin, and San Remigio were also cancelled due to strong winds and waves.
“Due to today’s weather and what we call scattered thunderstorms in both the north and south, we have asked our local disaster offices to keep monitoring the situation in their areas. Then it will be their discretion to provide information to their local chief executives so that adequate steps can be taken,” Ramos said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
Local disaster members were instructed by the PDRRMO to inspect all areas at risk of flooding and landslides and take early preventive measures to avoid disaster.
Residents of the province were also called upon to evacuate or immediately report to the disaster offices in their localities should there be any danger or life-threatening situation.
“As much as possible, if they see that their area is dangerous, especially in landslide prone areas and coastal areas, they will be evacuated,” said Ramos.
Ramos said based on the PDRRMO’s monitoring, they anticipate the rains to continue with the possibility that the current low pressure area (LPA) will become a storm expected to make landfall next week.
Weather forecast
Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Visayas said the intermittent weather experienced in the Province of Cebu will continue until Friday, Dec. 10, 2021.
In an interview Thursday, Dec. 9, Pagasa Visayas Weather Bureau Chief Alfredo Quiblat Jr. told SunStar Cebu that the shear line or the tail-end of a cold front is causing the build-up of rain clouds.
“This is a meeting of two winds from different directions with different temperatures,” explained Quiblat.
Quiblat said the convergence of the cold winds of the northeast monsoon, locally known as “Amihan,” with the warm winds of the easterlies is the prevalent weather system affecting the Central and Eastern Visayas Region.
The weather bureau chief said Cebu Province can expect improved weather conditions on Saturday, Dec. 11, but there may still be thunderstorm occurrences.
Pagasa is monitoring the Northeast Monsoon since it recorded gustiness or a sudden increase of wind speed by about 30-50 kilometers per hour.
However no gale warnings were issued by Pagasa in Central Visayas as local government units were given the discretion to cancel sea travels since they have better assessment of their jurisdiction, said Quiblat.
“The weather is dangerous to small seacraft because of the moderate to rough sea conditions,” said Quiblat.
Based on Pagasa’s forecast, the northeast monsoon can create a wave height of up to two to three meters and is expected to last until Dec. 13, Monday.
Quiblat further said the public should anticipate more rainfall since the La Niña phenomenon is expected to last until April 2022.
The weather agency also expects one or two tropical cyclones to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility before the year ends.
Quiblat added that cold winds of the northeast monsoon can lower Cebu’s average temperature between 22 degrees Celsius to 31 degrees Celsius. (IRT)