By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday instructed concerned government agencies to inform local government units (LGUs) that will likely be hit by storm surge.
In a situation briefing held at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Marcos said a geohazard map showing the areas that are at high risk to storm surges must be given to LGUs to enable them to undertake the necessary steps.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration chief Nathaniel Servando briefed Marcos about the likelihood of having three-meter storm surges when Typhoon Pepito (international name Man-yi) further intensifies.
Marcos said LGUs must be given specific guidance, as he acknowledged that the occurrence of storm surge could be fatal.
He stressed that the country should learn from previous typhoons that triggered storm surges, including Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) that claimed at least 6,000 lives in November 2013.
“The response in Yolanda was actually mistaken because we moved back from the high-water mark. That’s not the test. The test is the height above the storm surge. So, if it’s three meters, we have to look at the topographical map and see where three meters is, above the high-water mark,” he added.
Marcos said LGUs must prepare for a “worst-case scenario,” stressing that communities that are within the vulnerable areas have to do other things apart from anticipating strong winds and heavy rains.
“We have to get them to the high ground. It’s not enough to move them away from the sea. We have to get them to high ground. That’s the only thing that we can do when there is a storm surge,” he said.
Pepito is expected to reach a super typhoon category by Saturday night.
While he allayed concerns over food security during Pepito’s onslaught, Marcos said the government may need to import 4.5 million tons of rice because of agricultural losses in the wake of the recent typhoons.
“But we have already in place the prices of rice. Imported rice have gone down significantly since last year. We are not in competition like during the El Niño period,” Marcos said.
“Of course, we are doing everything to control the price of food, especially all of those products that have been damaged or destroyed by Pepito. Not only Pepito, the whole series of typhoons that have come. Six typhoons in three weeks,” he added.
Mandatory evacuation
In a media interview, Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said there will be a forced evacuation in areas where storm surges might occur.
“The mandatory evacuation will be done in coastal areas of Eastern Visayas, Bicol Region, Calabarzon and Cagayan Valley starting Friday night,” Remullla said.
Remulla warned that Catanduanes and Camarines Sur are anticipated to be the worst-hit areas. (PNA)
