At 220 kph: ‘Pablo’ may be like another ‘Ruping’

CEBU, Philippines - In anticipation of Super Typhoon Pablo to  hit Cebu anytime this week, Mayor Michael Rama ordered the 80 barangays of Cebu City to activate their respective Barangay Disaster Brigades.

Rama also ordered pre-evacuation of residents living on mountain slopes susceptible to landslide, near or along riverbanks and other areas prone to floods.

Super typhoon Pablo is feared to bring the same blow brought by typhoon Ruping in 1990.

Pablo is reportedly taking the same path as Ruping and expected to bring about rains brought by typhoon Ondoy in 2009.  And like Ruping and Nitang in 1984, they are packing high winds.

“Kusog gyud ‘ning bagyoha ron. With a 220 km/per hour maximum strength, igo na ni makabali og kahoy ug makaibot sa punu-an sa kahoy. We can only hope it will change direction kay kusog gyud ni,” said Boy Artiaga, PAGASA-Central Visayas weather observer.

Cebu has started the get cloudy skies at 7 p.m. yesterday, but Pablo has not made a landfall yet as of this posting.

It entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 6 p.m. last night 900 kilometers southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

Rama urged the public to start pruning trees that might cause accidents.  He said the public may come to City Hall for assistance.

Tarpaulins and billboards or anything that may be blown away are also advised to be removed.

All 68 public elementary schools and 23 national high schools are told to be on stand by for possible evacuation. Barangays are also told to prepare their sports complex for evacuation.

The city government is on account of over 800,000 citizens compared to the population of only about 600,000 in the 1990.

As everyone waits for the storm to hit Cebu, Rama issues warning and pre-cautionary measures to aid all city residents to prepare for the typhoon.

The public is advised to reinforce their homes to withstand wind and flooding, always check the latest weather bulletin and educate the family members.

The public is advised to store adequate food supply that require only little cooking, drinking water, flashlights, batteries, matches, kerosene lamps or candles in case of power failure.

During the storm, all are advised to stay indoors apart from those that need to evacuate immediately. Swimming and boating or mere crossing in swollen rivers are highly discouraged during the storm.

Rama said he will issue an advisory on the suspension of classes as soon as the situation requires.

Take all precautions

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s weather bulletin issued yesterday warned that as early as now, those living in landslide prone area and coastal area should be vigilant and alert as typhoon Pablo is expected to bring heavy rains and strong winds.

Estimated rainfall amount is from 20-30 mm per hour within the 700 km diameter of the typhoon.

“Kusug na ni nga uwan. It can cause flooding na ni. Kusug ang uwang unya continous,” Artiaga said.

Metro Cebu (the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay) as well as towns as far as Santander in the South and as far as Bantayan Island in the North will be affected by the typhoon.

Artiaga said that everyone should be on guard including those who have farm animals to put them into a safer ground and a much stronger place to stay.

The Cebu Coast Guard Station on the other hand as of last night, has not prevented yet any vessels to travel in the absence of a weather advisory from PAGASA.

“As of now, no advisory yet from PAGASA not to allow vessels to travel,” said Cebu Coast Guard Station commander Rolando Punzalan.

As of 7 p.m. last night, Artiaga said that no public storm signal has been raised in the entire country.

According to the Storm Clock of Weather Central, it is expected to land in the Northeastern Mindanao in the Caraga region Tuesday morning and then it will pass through the Central Visayas area, which includes the provinces of Cebu and Bohol as well as in Negros going to Panay Island and then to the northern part of Mindanao leading out of the country towards the West Philippine Sea on Thursday, that if its direction will not change.

Lapu-Lapu City administrator Teodulo Ybañez relayed Department of Interior and Local Government undersecretary Rico Puno’s advise.

Puno directed LGUs to go on media as early as practicable to warn fisher folks not to go out to sea due to the typhoon, small scale miners, residents along river systems, landslide prone areas and storm surge areas, where applicable should be warned.

LGUs were also advised to coordinate with the PNP, Coast Guard and barangays on information dissemination and enforcement.

Zero casualties

Meanwhile, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 7 aims for zero casualty once Pablo hits Central Visayas.

RDRRMC chairperson Minda Morante gathered her staff yesterday for an emergency meeting together with personnel of the Police Regional Office-7 to discuss preparations for the incoming typhoon, which is expected to hit the region tomorrow night, at least.

“According to PAGASA Mactan, 75 percent ang probability that Central Visayas will be affected. So we have to prepare as early as today (yesterday),” Morante said.

Morante said RDRRMC is now intensifying its community-based approach to better inform and warn the public, which is a better pro-active action rather than rescuing.

“So, bisag Dominggo siya, we have to conduct this emergency meeting for the agencies concerned for us to prepare,” Morante further said.

With the information dissemination, Morante said the provinces of Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Cebu City will conduct its respective emergency meetings today.

Local government units are advised to refer to their hazard map and identify the area highly risked to flooding and landslides.

Member agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development has prepared 2,000 family packs of relief goods consisting rice and canned goods, among others.

The Department of Public Works and Highways has also committed to lend their dump trucks for the transportation of these goods.

Central Command, Coast Guard Cebu, and the Red Cross are now positioning their search and rescue assets and volunteers as well as their disaster quick response teams.

Since last Saturday, RDRRMC has been placed on blue alert, meaning 50 percent of personnel must be at their posts at any time.

PNP, PCG, PN brace for ‘Pablo’

The PNP, Coast Guard and the Navy have alerted their men and placed on standby their assets and disaster response units in preparation for the impact of the super typhoon.

PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome has placed all PNP units on alert and activated the PNP desk at the NDRRMC to ensure immediate coordination among PNP units and the national headquarters for easy augmenting of forces and assistance.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. said all PNP resources, particularly manpower, and special rescue equipment are put on standby for deployment in areas expected to be hit by the typhoon.

Cerbo said the PNP is also preparing rubber boats for evacuation efforts and communication among the units have been boosted for effective dissemination of information.  — Jessica Ann R. Pareja, Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, Marigold P. Lebumfacil, Niña G. Sumacot, Julit C. Jainar, USJ-R Masscom Intern and Philippine STAR News Service/BRP (FREEMAN)