Leyte braces for 'Hagupit'

MANILA, Philippines - The province of Leyte, particularly Tacloban City, is preparing for the possible landfall of typhoon ‘Hagupit.’

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of Leyte has started disseminating information about the upcoming typhoon, Gov. Dominic Petilla said during an interview with radio dzMM.

The governor said that they are waiting for further updates from Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) regarding the exact landfall area of the typhoon.

READ: PAGASA: Higher chance 'Hagupit' will hit Philippines

Petilla noted that it is easier to urge Leyte residents to evacuate due their experience from typhoon Yolanda last year.

"At least alam na namin kung saan ang linya, kung saan mag-e-evacuate, kung sino-sino ang mag-e-evacuate," Petilla said, adding that the hazard maps they prepared would assist them in evacuating in case of storm surge.

In a television interview, Tacloban City Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin noted that some residents are panicking because of the forecasted typhoon. 

The residents were advised to calm down and wait until Wednesday night for PAGASA's advisory if Hagupit will take the same path as Yolanda or go towards Japan. 

The city government of Tacloban has planned a forced evacuation, particularly for residents in the unsafe zone, once the weather bureau announces the typhoon's track.

"Bahala na kung hindi tatama sa'tin as long as nakalikas na sila so there's no harm in doing that kaysa dumating 'yung bagyo tatama sa'tin and it would be too late to prepare," Yaokasin said.

Tacloban City was one of the hard-hit areas when typhoon Yolanda, one of the most powerful storms on record, struck the country last Nov. 8, 2013.

RELATED: Yolanda fatalities “put to rest”