TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) - - The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) - Region 2 is now on Red Alert Status as Typhoon ‘Egay’ moves northward closer to mainland Cagayan, affecting Calayan and Babuyan Group of Islands, and Batanes province. 

Romeo Ganal, Jr., weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Northern Luzon Bureau, said the typhoon is forecast to cross Luzon Strait and make landfall or pass very close to the Babuyan Islands and Batanes areas between tomorrow late evening and Wednesday afternoon.

“Flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible, especially in areas that are highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and in localities that experienced considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days,” Ganal said. 

National Irrigation Administration - Magat River Irrigation Administration head, Engr. Edwin Viernes, on the other hand, said the amount of rainfall expected from the typhoon will not be enough to reach the critical water level of the Magat Dam reservoir. 

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has already issued advisory to all local DRRMCs to activate early warning measures, establish critical preparedness actions based on the Operation LISTO protocols, and monitor with vigilance the level of river waters and settlements in low-lying areas.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) - Region 2 has also prepositioned food and non-food items to the municipalities that are likely to be affected by the weather disturbance. 

Franco Lopez, assistant regional director of DSWD - Region 2, said that there were already 81,591 food packs prepositioned in the different municipalities, especially in the island and coastal municipalities of the region. 

“We also have a P4-million standby fund that can be utilized in case of quick response and augmentation to severely affected communities in the region,” Lopez said. 

On her part, Jaye M. Cabauatan, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Civil Defense - 2, urged all local DRRM councils to implement pre-emptive evacuation if necessary, especially in the flood and landslide prone areas. 

“Our DRRM offices should ensure monitoring of their respective areas, including the strict compliance of the ‘no sail’ and ‘no fishing’ policy. Ensure also that all communication lines are open for easy coordination,” Cabauatan said in her directive during the Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment meeting. 

In Batanes, the ‘kapanpet’ or the tying up the roof of their houses and the ‘tapangko’, or placing window shutters, which are traditions of the Ivatans in securing their houses during typhoons, are already being conducted. (JKC/OTB/PIA Region 2)