The Bacolod City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) is now on blue alert status after Bacolod City was placed under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) no. 1 on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, due to Tropical Depression (TD) Kristine.
Earl Edward Ramirez, operation's chief of DRRMO, said yesterday a total of two teams, composed of emergency response services, were deployed to monitor the 61 barangays in the city.
Aside from emergency medical services, he said the 79th IB Philippine Army and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) are also on standby.
" Anytime, we can call them in case of an emergency and rescue operations," he added.
Ramirez stressed that they had already instructed all the barangay officials to prepare and monitor their areas of jurisdiction, especially their residents living in the danger zone and coastal areas.
The barangays were also tasked to activate their respective DRRMO committee to monitor the flooding incidents especially, the barangays in the coastal areas.
Ramirez said Tropical Depression Kristine is expected to landfall in the area of Luzon on Wednesday evening, October 23.
He said a total of 111 families in Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City composed of 356 individuals who were affected by floods due to heavy rains caused by tropical storm Kristine on Monday, October 21, are still at the evacuation centers at Sum-ag Elementary School because of the bad weather.
He added they also implemented a preventive evacuation in Purok Calong-Calong, Barangay Singcang-Airport on Wednesday morning, which composed of four families or 15 individuals.
Ramirez noted that the affected families were temporarily staying at the Barangay Singcang-Airport Hall.
Ramirez disclosed that they are also preparing evacuation centers in Abada Escay, Barangay Vista Alegre, and Barangay Taculing.
Ramirez also urged residents not to venture out to sea under these conditions to avoid any untoward incidents. /MAP.