Ruby intensifies further; storm signals in 21 areas By Kathlyn dela Cruz, ABS-CBNnews Posted at 12/04/2014 6:02 PM | Updated as of 12/04/2014 6:02 PM Storm signal no. 4 may be raised over Guiuan, Eastern Samar: PAGASA MANILA - Public storm warning signal numbers 2 and 1 have been raised over 21 areas, mostly in the super typhoon Yolanda-battered Visayas, as typhoon Ruby (international codename Hagupit) intensified further, state weather bureau PAGASA said Thursday. Ruby, which has already been classified by the US Navys Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) as a super typhoon, is now bearing maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 240 kph. Storm signal number 2 is raised over the following areas. These should expect winds of 61 to 100 kph in at least 24 hours. Northern Samar Eastern Samar Samar Biliran Leyte Southern Leyte Dinagat Island Siargao Island Storm signal number 1 is up over the following areas. These should expect winds of 30 to 60 kph in at least 36 hours. Catanduanes Albay Sorsogon Masbate Ticao Island Northern Cebu Bantayan Island Camotes Island Bohol Surigao del Norte Surigao del Sur Camiguin Island Agusan del Norte Ruby, which is moving west northwest at 15 kph, is expected to make landfall over the Eastern Samar-Northern Samar area on Saturday afternoon. STORM SIGNAL NO. 4 In a press briefing with President Benigno Aquino III Thursday afternoon, PAGASA officer-in-charge Dr. Vicente Malano mentioned that storm warning signal number 4 could be raised in Guiuan, Eastern Samar at the height of the typhoon. Sa Guiuan, ito yung inaasahan nating magkakaroon tayo ng signal number 3 or signal number 4 pa, he said. Malano was responding to a question by the President whether goods and assets can be prepositioned in Guiuan before the expected landfall of the typhoon. Buong Samar po [yung maapektuhan ng bagyo], he explained. Eastern Samar and Samar are among the areas under red alert, meaning it is within the 100-kilometer radius from the forecast track of the typhoon. Other areas under red alert are Aklan, Albay, Antique, Biliran, Capiz, Cebu, Iloilo, Leyte, Marinduque, Masbate, Northern Samar, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Quezon, Romblon, and Sorsogon. Areas under orange alert are Batangas, Bohol, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Cavite, Guimaras, Laguna, Metro Manila, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, and Rizal. Areas under yellow alert are Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Camiguin, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, and Zambales. LANDSLIDES, STORM SURGES Disaster management officials warned of possible floods, landslides, and storm surges. According to Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) executive director Dr. Mahar Lagmay, red-colored areas in the flood hazard map are expected to be hit by over 1.5 meters of floods. Red means that the floods in the flood-hazard map depict greater than 1.5 meters indundation. That means that its above the forehead of Manny Pacquiao, Lagmay said, to illustrate. He said the rainfall amount for Saturday is expected to be concentrated on Samar, while on Sunday, rainfall will be heavy for Leyte and Samar. He said the areas likely to be hit by landslides based on rainfall amount are Albay, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Masbate, Eastern Visayas, Leyte, and Southern Leyte. Lagmay said Ruby will also spawn storm surges as high as four meters in coastal areas in the path of the typhoon. Ang ibig sabihin po niyan ang lebel ng tubig dagat ay tataas mula dun sa kanyang lebel, kung high tide o low tide, tataas ito ng apat na metro o isang palapag, he said. RESCUE, RELIEF OPS Meanwhile, all concerned government agencies are on alert and ready for rescue and relief operations. Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas said communities that need to be evacuated have already been alerted. He said the Philippine National Police (PNP) has already been placed in heightened alert, and all leaves have been canceled. The Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD) said it has started prepositioning food packs for families who will be affected by the typhoon, and identifying evacuation centers for individuals who will be displaced. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), meanwhile, said mobile cell sites are ready in case regular communications bog down. It also said it is coordination with petroleum companies to ensure supply of fuel in typhoon-hit areas. Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin said hospitals will be on code red on Saturday. She assured that all medical personnel are on standby. She said P242 million worth of medicines have been prepositioned in areas to be affected by the typhoon. President Aquino, meanwhile, said that while Ruby presents challenges today, he believes the country has already been challenged worse by super typhoon Yolanda. Im pressing everybody na yung checklist of what has to be done preferably should have been done yesterday. But we still have today and tomorrow to finish all of these things. After that, go back to your list and see if theres anything else that can be done. Id like everybody to be a very busy body, Aquino said.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 20:24:44 +0000
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