MANILA – The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has raised its alert status from "blue" to "red" to provide immediate emergency response as “Nando” has intensified into a typhoon over the Philippine Sea.
In an advisory released Saturday, the NDRRMC said it issued Memorandum 245, categorizing the emergency condition under “red alert.”
Red alert is the highest status of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (NDRRMOC), activated to address an ongoing or imminent emergency. It ensures full staffing of response agencies and immediate interagency coordination.
It provides response agency staffing at the NDRRMOC and allows immediate interagency coordination.
Under this status, detailed duty officers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Coast Guard, and Philippine National Police, as well as technical staff of relevant agencies, including the Department of Health (DOH), are required to render duty at the NDRRMOC.
As of 10 a.m. Saturday, Typhoon Nando was located 775 km. east of Casiguran, Aurora, packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph, and moving west-northwestward at 10 kph.
Wind Signal No. 1 will be hoisted over Northern Luzon and the eastern section of Central Luzon on Saturday afternoon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
On the forecast track, the center of Nando may pass close to or make landfall over Batanes or the Babuyan Islands Monday afternoon or evening, and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Tuesday morning. (PNA)