The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) urged the public on Tuesday, Sept. 7, to keep vigilant and take precautionary measures as typhoon "Jolina" brings heavy rainfall and destructive winds in Luzon and Visayas.
NDRRMC Exective Director Ricardo Jalad reminded the residents and regional DRRMC officers in the path of Jolina to continue monitoring weather updates and implement preparedness measures. The Council also held a pre-disaster risk assessment (PDRA) to assess the readiness of RDRRMCs.
"Affected population are reminded to brace for destructive typhoon-force winds, flooding, possible landslides in highly susceptible areas due to continuous rainfall that will cause ground saturation, and rough seas over the seaboards of areas were tropical cyclone wind signals are in effect," Jalad said in a statement.
He said the public should also heed evacuation notices issued by the local govenrment units (LGUs) and follow warnings and advisories while observing the minimum public health standards for protection against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
"The NDRRMC continuously monitors the situation and coordinates with its member-agencies and regional DRRMCs for further actions and provision of possible assistance needed of the affected regions," Jalad stated.
As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, Jolina was spotted over the coastal waters of Almagro, Samar with maximum sustained winds of 120 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 km per hour.
It is moving west, northwest at a speed of 15 km per hour.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecasted that Jolina would bring heavy to intense with at times torrential rains over Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Biliran, Sorsogon, Albay, Romblon, and Masbate.
Meanwhile, the state weather bureau said moderate to heavy with at times intense rains would prevail over the southern portion of Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and the rest of Bicol Region and Visayas in the next 24 hours.
As of this writing, Jolina has made five landfalls: in Hernani, Eastern Samar; Daram, Samar; Sto. Nino, Samar; Almagro, Samar; and Dimasalang, Masbate.