DUMAGUETE CITY – The Negros Oriental Electric Cooperative II (NORECO II) on Tuesday advised its customers to prepare for Severe Tropical Storm Rai that will be named "Odette" once inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), as the weather forecast shows Negros Oriental is right in its path.
In a media release, Sharon Araula, NORECO II information officer, said “because the distribution lines are overhead and exposed to the elements of nature, strong wind and torrential rain can cause power outages in our coverage area”.
She urged the people to have backup power such as generator if possible, prepare emergency lights and flashlights, charge mobile phones and stock up on food and water.
Araula said NORECO II would not conduct any power restoration at the height of the storm as a safety precaution.
Residents were also asked to unplug appliances and switch off main breakers in the event of a power outage and flooding.
“Stay away from distribution lines and poles. Keep listening to the news,” the NORECO II said in its media advisory.
Hotline numbers were provided for NORECO II member-consumer-owners from Pamplona down to Basay in the central and southern parts of Negros Oriental.
In its weather bulletin on Tuesday afternoon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the tropical storm is expected to enter PAR on the night of Dec. 14 and it could make a landfall somewhere in Caraga or Eastern Visayas by Thursday.
It forecast the weather disturbance to reach typhoon category on Wednesday and a pre-landfall peak intensity of around 155 kilometers per hour may be reached by Thursday morning or afternoon.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals will be hoisted over the Visayas, large portions of Mindanao, and several provinces in Southern Luzon, PAGASA said.