Disaster officials to public: Heed evacuation orders

MANILA, Philippines — Disaster and weather officials yesterday appealed to the public to heed possible evacuation orders as Tropical Depression Samuel threatened to bring heavy rains over the Visayas and Mindanao in the next days.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned that Samuel’s rains may be as intense as that of Tropical Storm Urduja, which hit the country in December last year. Urduja left at least 43 people dead.

Samuel was expected to intensify into a storm before making landfall over Eastern Visayas-Caraga area this afternoon or evening, PAGASA senior weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said.

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, tropical cyclone warning signal No. 1 was raised over Masbate, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin.

The weather bureau was also expected to raise signal No. 1 over Northern Samar, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo last night.

“If you are told by the local government that you need to temporarily evacuate and you will be placed in a safe haven, please do not hesitate,” National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) spokesman Edgar Posadas said in an interview with dzMM.

In a press conference yesterday afternoon, PAGASA weather division chief Esperanza Cayanan urged the public to be proactive as Samuel’s rains could be disastrous.

“We should not worry about strong winds but on the heavy rains it could bring to these provinces,” Cayanan said.

“We appeal to our countrymen in the Visayas and Mindanao, learn from the previous storms. Let’s be proactive and monitor updates. Listen to your local officials,” she added.

PAGASA has issued flood warnings in areas along the path of Samuel, including Central Visayas, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Eastern and Northern Samar, Biliran and Northern Mindanao.

Apart from flooding, it also warned against landslides over the Cagara region, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas and the provinces of Negros Occidental, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin. – With Ben Serrano