DGT-1 Dumaguete braces for “Hagupit”; prepositions supplies, equipment and other logistics DUMAGUETE CITY, Dec. 03 (PNA) – Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria convened Wednesday the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDDRMC) days ahead of the coming strong typhoon with international name Hagupit to lessen its impact on lives and property. All departments were represented as well as the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) headed by Councilor Lionel Banogon and the city’s Disaster Management Office, Rescue 348 and Task Force SAGARR (Special Action Group for Rapid Reform). The meeting was held as weather forecasters reported that “Hagupit” is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Thursday morning and shall be called Ruby. Meteorologists and weather agencies are closely monitoring this Western Pacific disturbance that this early is being eyed to intensify briefly into a super typhoon before it enters the PAR. Another scenario is for the typhoon to veer northward away from the country towards Japan. The changing pattern of “Hagupit” which early media reports said has left some meteorologists baffled has left many areas in the Visayas bracing for the storm. With this, Engr. Jose Chu, head of the Disaster Management Office, said that the city government has already reviewed and laid out its contingency plans for a worst case scenario, especially as at this time, weather reports say “Ruby” will be likely to cut across the Visayas. Chu disclosed based on a report from the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), at least 18 barangays near rivers and creeks and seven other coastal barangays were identified as priority areas in the event of flooding and storm surges. The 18 barangays near the Banica River and Okoy River that are prone to flooding are Buñao, Tinago, Calindagan, Barangay 8, Camanjac, Candauay, Mangnao, Bantayan, Cadawinonan, Poblacion 2, Tabuctubig, Batinguel, Junob, Taclobo and Bagacay. The coastal barangays that are at risk of storm surge or huge waves are Piapi, Tinago, Calindagan, Looc, Banilad, Mangnao and Bantayan. At least 1,036 families living near the rivers and creeks and 236 families or about 8,000 individuals along coastal areas have already been identified for pre-emptive evacuation, Chu said. Primary evacuation centers are those designated in the respective barangays, such as barangay halls, basketball courts and chapels. Secondary evacuation centers include the Macias Sports Center, the coliseum, the Dumaguete City High School gymnasium, the public market Building 2 and public elementary schools, he added. Meanwhile, the city government has allocated P1,050,000 million to the CSWDO for the acquisition of water, rice, food such as noodles and canned goods, medicines, coffee and other supplies that would last for at least five days. Also, about 300 volunteers/responders are prepared to provide services for evacuation, rescue and relief, Chu said. The city government has already pre-positioned personnel of Rescue 348, Task Force SAGARR, CSWDO, City Health Office, engineering, general services and environment and natural resources office, the police, the fire department, traffic management, Red Cross, Coast Guard, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and navy cadets and ROTC cadets as well. Also on standby are the city’s super tanker that can hold clean and potable water of 12,000 liters as well as three other smaller tankers each with a capacity of 3,000 liters. Two power generators are also on hand in case of power outage while Mayor Sagarbarria has also ordered to fast track the purchase of three new 10-KVA power generators ahead of this weekend’s arrival of Typhoon Ruby. The City Council had earlier approved the mayor’s request for the additional power generators, Chu disclosed. Communications equipment are also in place with base radios at the mayor’s office, engineering office, the public market and the rescue office, while satellite phones, cellular phones and landlines are readily available as well. The hotline numbers to call are telephone number 226-3483 and mobile phone numbers 09059383110, 09062311079 and 09997435828. Mayor Sagarbarria has also ordered all transport and heavy equipment for prepositioning, possibly at the risk areas. Once the path of Typhoon Ruby in the Philippines is known in the coming days, the city will then be able to immediately enforce pre-emptive evacuation before the storm’s impact on Dumaguete will get worse, Chu added. (PNA) JFP
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 01:18:14 +0000
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