MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Interior and Local Government raised on Friday, August 25, alert level Charlie in 16 provinces that are within the path of Tropical Storm Jolina (international name: Pakhar).
According to the DILG, the following provinces will be within the 100-kilometer radius of Tropical Storm Jolina's forecast track:
- Abra
- Apayao
- Aurora
- Benguet
- Cagayan
- Ifugao
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- Isabela
- Kalinga
- La Union
- Mountain Province
- Nueva Ecija
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Pangasinan
- Quirino
Alert level Charlie is based on Oplan Listo (Operation Plan Alert), a disaster preparedness manual that provides local government officials a checklist on what should be done before, during, and after typhoons.
As of August 24, the interior department has advised regional offices of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Cordillera Administrative Region to activate their disaster monitoring and reporting systems.
Meanwhile, the DILG has also raised alert level Bravo to two provinces that will be within 150 kilometers from the forecast track:
- Catanduanes
- Tarlac
Alert level Alpha was raised in 6 provinces that will be within 200 kilometers from the cyclone path:
- Bulacan
- Camarines Norte
- Camarines Sur
- Pampanga
- Quezon
- Zambales
Based on Oplan Listo, minimum critical activities that LGUs should be enforcing in affected areas include the following:
- Secure power, water supply, and communications
- Start preemptive evacuation
- Announce forced evacuation
- Prepare list of the evacuees
- Distribute relief packs and conduct mass feeding
- Stop traffic in landslide-prone areas
Potential damage due to severe winds in all affected areas are listed as follows:
- Twigs and branches of trees may be broken
- Some banana plants may tilt or land flat on the ground
- Rice in flowering stage may suffer significant damage
- Some nipa and cogon houses may be partially unroofed
State weather bureau Pagasa said Jolina made landfall in Casiguran town in Aurora province on Friday at 8 pm.
Jolina is expected to exit the landmass on Saturday morning, August 26. It will leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) either Saturday evening or early Sunday morning, August 27.– Rappler.com