LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – The Bicol Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) is now on blue alert status due to severe tropical storm (STS) “Surigae.”
Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Bicol spokesperson Gremil Naz said that the blue alert status was declared Thursday during the pre-disaster risk assessment (PDRA) held via teleconferencing.
“Naka-blue alert status na po ‘yung emergency operations center (EOC) natin for severe tropical storm Surigae which shall be named “Bising” once na pumasok na sa Philippine Area of Responsibility,” Naz said.
This means the EOC is on heightened monitoring, coordination, and reporting. The regional assets were also pre-activated for possible deployment, Naz explained.
Naz said that based from the discussion of Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Legazpi station, the current forecast track of Surigae is that it will recurve northward while approximately 450 kilometers east of Sorsogon Monday.
However, PAGASA explained that considering the uncertainty in the track forecast of the storm, a westward shift in the current forecast track may result in potentially significant impacts over the weekend and on Monday, he added.
OCD Bicol Director Claudio Yucot, also the chair of RDRRMC Bicol, reminded the response agencies and PDRRMOs to closely monitor the movement of STS Surigae and perform necessary measures to safeguard their population.
A no sail policy for fisher folks shall also take effect starting Saturday until lifting of the tropical storm warning signal.