Typhoon ‘Betty’ slightly weakens but may be ‘almost stationary’ until Wednesday
Over 800 families have been preemptively evacuated in northern and central Luzon and parts of Visayas as super typhoon Betty (international name: Mawar) moves westward toward northern Philippines and is expected to dump heavy rains on Monday.
Aside from the areas in Northern Luzon, residents in Negros Occidental, Palawan and Pampanga have also started preemptive evacuation, according to Diego Mariano, Information Officer of the Office of Civil Defense-National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (OCD-NDRRMC).
Some 670 families were evacuated in Negros Occidental, 193 in Palawan, two in Pampanga, and 28 in Iloilo.
In Cagayan province, disaster office head Ruelie Rapsing said they are implementing an “adopt-a-neighbor” scheme where churches and residents with sturdy houses are asked to provide shelter to their neighbors with houses made of weaker materials.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development has earmarked around P2.1 billion in disaster risk funds on top of prepositioned family food packs and non-food aid.
The government has identified Regions 1, 3, 4B or MIMAROPA, 6, 7, 8 and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as the most “susceptible” to massive floods and landslides.
“In these areas, we expect at least 1.5 million residents or about 8,000 susceptible families,” said DSWD spokesman Romel Lopez.
Local government units have also been asked to ensure their respective Emergency Operations Centers are operational and functioning for emergency response in areas affected by the typhoon.
DILG secretary Banjamin Abalos Jr. ordered the designation of possible evacuation centers as he reminded LGUs of coastal areas to implement a ban on fishing and sailing if necessary.
According to PAGASA, the super typhoon may enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat, resulting in “strong breeze to near-gale conditions” starting this evening (Sunday) to early Monday morning.
PAGASA said the super typhoon is expected to be “almost stationary” between late Tuesday and early Wednesday.
The super typhoon is now packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center (from 195 kph in the 11 a.m. bulletin), and gusts of up to 230 kph (from 240 kph).
Its center was last seen 1,035 km east of Central Luzon.
Areas in Luzon that were placed under Signal #1 are as follows: Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, the northern and central portions of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Lagayan, San Juan, Lagangilang, Licuan-Baay, Malibcong, Danglas, La Paz, Dolores, Tayum, Bucay, Sallapadan, Daguioman, Bucloc, Boliney), Kalinga, the eastern and central portions of Mountain Province (Sadanga, Barlig, Natonin, Paracelis, Bontoc), the eastern and central portions of Ifugao (Mayoyao, Aguinaldo, Alfonso Lista, Banaue, Hingyon, Lagawe, Lamut, Kiangan, Asipulo), the northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao), Quirino and the northeastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Quezon, Solano, Bagabag, Diadi, Villaverde, Bayombong, Ambaguio).