STRONGER winds and heavier rains may hit northern Cebu today as tropical storm Urduja makes its first landfall in Northern Samar, the weather bureau said.
Although its eye was still in Eastern Visayas, Urduja forced authorities in Cebu to cancel 10 flights and 33 boat trips, as well as order some families to evacuate to avoid getting caught in floods or landslides.
Urduja moved so slowly, at five kilometers per hour, that it was possible it could grow stronger, said Engr. Oscar Tabada, Visayas director of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (Pagasa). He urged the public to get ready for moderate to heavy rainfall today.
Cancellations
The storm packed maximum sustained winds of 75 kph and gustiness of up to 90 kph. A high-pressure area in the northern part of the country kept Urduja’s movement slow. Tabada said he hopes that Urduja will weaken as it makes landfall today.
Signal No. 1 remained in effect in Northern Cebu, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Romblon, Masbate, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Capiz, Aklan, Northern Iloilo and Dinagat Islands. The provinces of Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar and Biliran are under Signal No. 2.
From 25 vessels last Thursday, the number of passenger vessels ordered to cancel their trips due to Urduja rose to 33, said Philippine Coast Guard Cebu Commander Jerome Cayabyab. Most were bound for Ormoc and Maasin, as well as Bohol. Inter-island trips going to the islands of Camotes and Bantayan were also canceled due to the storm, Cayabyab said.
At the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA), around 10 commercial flights were canceled yesterday morning. Julius Neri Jr., MCIAA board member, confirmed that the flights cancelled were bound for Ormoc, Tacloban, Surigao, Pagadian, and Siargao.
Manageable situation
In Cebu, five families living in Sogod were evacuated because their homes stood on landslide- and flood-prone areas. Julius Regner, public information officer of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), told reporters the affected families were taking shelter with relatives living in safer areas.
The PDRRMO also reported a landslide in Barangay Labangon, Tabogon yesterday, which was cordoned off as a result. No casualty was reported.
In Lapu-Lapu, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CDRRM) Officer Andy Berame said up to six inches of water filled the roads in Datag, Barangay Maribago and Mahayahay in Barangay Bankal. These remained passable.
Barangay officials used a motor pump to remove floodwater from Sitio Tungdon in Barangay Basak.
As to the suspension of classes yesterday, the mayors of Lapu-Lapu and Cebu City did not find it necessary. Mayor Paz Radaza of Lapu-Lapu said that the situation was manageable.
In a news conference, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña explained that classes should be cancelled on case-to-case basis, depending on how bad the rain is in each area.
Police on red alert
“We’re not better off when we tell 250,000 students there’s no classes because there might be a landslide in Barangay Sirao. It doesn’t make sense. Every time you miss a lesson, you lose something. There is a risk, yes, but each student is also at risk of getting hit by a vehicle on regular days. But do we have to stop classes because of that?” Osmeña said.
The mayor said that each of the 80 barangay disaster councils has been directed to monitor their areas and report to the City Command Control Center every two hours. Village officials were also authorized to suspend classes anytime, if they deem it necessary.
As of yesterday, City Hall recorded no casualties or incidents of landslide or flooding.
Meanwhile, the police in Central Visayas are on alert.
Supt. Reyman Tolentin, the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas information officer, said the lower units were instructed to help local government units watch the coastlines and landslide-prone areas. Police officers were deployed to remind families to evacuate if needed and to help the Coast Guard monitor sea vessels. (JKV, FMG, RTF, KAL, Rolyn May Jumao-as, USJ-R Intern)