Typhoon Chedeng: Isabela ready for ‘worst case scenario’

ILAGAN CITY, Philippines – The province of Isabela is ready for Typhoon Chedeng (international name: Maysak) as it continues to theaten several regions, including Cagayan Valley, Governor Faustino Dy III said.

Dy said he had convened the concerned agencies and officials, and they are preparing for the “worst case scenario” even if the typhoon is expected to weaken while approaching the land area.

“That is now how we view typhoons or storms – whether it is strong or not, we have to be in full alert. Hindi p’wedeng mag-relax kasi dito pa rin inaasahang magla-landfall. Mare-relax lang kami ‘pag nakadaan na ‘yung bagyo,” Dy told Rappler in a phone interview. (We should not be relaxed because it still projected to make landfall and hit us. We will relax if it already passed us.)

In its latest weather forecast as of 11 am Thursday, April 2, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical, Astronomical Service Administartion (PAGASA) said Typhoon Chedeng is projected to make landfall over the provinces of Aurora or Isabela by late Saturday, April 4, to early Sunday, April 5.

It slightly weakened at maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 210 kph.

Dy also said the province is on full alert, tapping the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) of Isabela and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in case there is a need to evacuate the residents from coastal areas.

They are encouraging the residents to report emergencies during the typhoon to PDRRMC-Isabela’s hotlines: 0915-819-3187 and 0921-585-2341.

The regional field office of the DSWD-Cagayan Valley is preparing for relief efforts, having a standby fund, aside from the goods worth 995,425.82.

Goods available for repacking are: 500 sacks of NFA rice, 1,041 boxes of corned beef, 799 boxes of meat loaf, 799 boxes of sausage, and 384 boxes of sardines.

It has also 17,029 available food packs in the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Viscaya. – Rappler.com