Cordillera on red alert for Typhoon Chedeng

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The Cordillera Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has raised a red alert status for the region in anticipation of the Typhoon Chedeng (international code: Maysak), which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday evening, April 1.

“We are synchronizing actions and preparations to manage risks brought about by Chedeng, considering that most families are on vacation,” Regional Director Andrew Alex Uy of the Office of Civil Defense said on Wednesday afternoon.

The CDRRMC chief said there’s a possibility that communication lines in the region would be disconnected, considering the typhoons’ sustained winds of 140 kilometer per hour and gustiness of up to 170 kph.

With most of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) declared prone to landslides by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the CDRRMC also fears the possibility of roads being closed.

Based on the 2013 geo-hazard mapping of the MGB, the province of Benguet – where the summer capital Baguio City is located – is the most landslide prone at 90.3%. It followed by the Mountain Province, 87.1%; Kalinga and Apayao, 84.7 %; Abra, 82.1 %; and Ifugao, 77.3 %.

Meanwhile, at least 16, 707 family packs have been prepositioned by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Cordillera provinces, said Regional Director Janet Armas. Repacking of goods will continue Thursday for the DSWD Cordillera to reach its target relief goods of 30,000.

An initial amount of P1.4 million was readied as Quick Response Fund in case local government units in the region would need augmentation to their emergency budgets.

“Since Baguio City is a summer capital, our worry is on the anticipated individuals who might be stranded especially with the holidays,” Armas said. – Rappler.com