MANILA -- The Office of Civil Defense is continuously providing emergency telecommunications requirements of the on-site Emergency Operations Center in Siargao to re-establish coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City for situation updates and response operations in the province.

The OCD deployed its emergency telecommunications team (ETT) yesterday to re-establish the communication link between NDRRMOC and Siargao province after communication disruption due to Typhoon Odette.

The team set up the equipment including VSAT for data connectivity, satellite phone for voice connectivity and drone for video surveillance at Siargao Domestic Airport.

Following the communication restoration, the NDRRMC held a briefing with Caraga RDRRMC and Siargao Vice Mayor Alfredo Coro to discuss the situation and assistance for response operations in the typhoon-hit area.

Residents are also now using the free wifi to connect with their relatives.

Meanwhile, NDRRMC Executive Director and Civil Defense Administrator, Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad flew to Surigao City, and Southern Leyte to see the situation on the ground.

The NDRRMC continues to monitor the situation and provide assistance to its regional and local counterparts to support the on-going response operations in the affected areas.

Typhoon “Odette” made its first landfall over Siargao, Surigao del Norte on Thursday afternoon. It also made landfall over Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands; Liloan, Southern Leyte; Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte; President Carlos P. Garcia, Bohol; Bien Unido, Bohol; Carcar, Cebu; La Libertad, Negros Oriental; and Roxas, Palawan. (OCD)