Cebu City Prepares for Coming Storm

Due to the developing low pressure area in the Pacific Ocean that is expected to hit the country this week, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CCDRRMC) held an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the City’s preparations.

City Councilor Dave Tumulak, also the CCDRRMC Chair, said their equipment are all on standby especially those that are placed in the City’s mountain barangays.

Tumulak said the CCDRRMC have already alerted barangay disaster brigades and asked them to continue monitoring. He also asked these units to coordinate with the City Government.

“As early as now, we are ready for it,” Tumulak said.

State weather agency, PAGASA has spotted a low pressure area in the Pacific Ocean last week with high chances of developing into a tropical depression. PAGASA said the LPA has packed wind speed of 24 kilometers per hour.

Tropical Storm

In its 6 am update today, PAGASA said the tropical cyclone in the Pacific Ocean has intensified into a tropical storm with international name Hagupit. Hagupit was 2,200 km east of Mindanao with maximum sustained winds of 65 kph and gusts of 80 KPH. It was moving west-northwest at 25 kph, PAGASA said.

Tropical Storm Hagupit is likely to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) late Thursday or early Friday, PAGASA said. It added that once it enters PAR, it will codenamed Ruby.

Similar to Typhoons Yolanda, Pablo

Tumulak said that the formative stage of the said LPA is similar to typhoons Yolanda and Pablo, adding that once it becomes tropical depression, it will affect the Visayas, including Cebu City.

DepEd

Representatives of the local school board and Department of Education (DepEd) Cebu City Division, who also attended the CCDRRMC meeting yesterday, said they will identify schools that will be used as evacuation centers if it is needed.

Image Credit: www.accuweather.com