The provincial government of Agusan del Norte convened on Monday its Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) to prepare for the possible impact of an incoming weather disturbance in the province.
The weather condition, which has developed into a tropical depression (TD), is still outside the Philippine area of responsibility at 1,760 kilometers east of Mindanao as of 11 a.m. Monday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the tropical cyclone is expected to enter the country by Tuesday evening (December 14) and will be named “Odette.”
The weather disturbance has maximum sustained winds of 55 km per hour (kph) and a gustiness of 70 kph.
Erma Suyo, chief of the PDRRMC of Agusan del Norte, told Philippine News Agency Monday that all local DRRMOs in the province took part during the preparatory meeting.
“In the meeting, we identified our needs during emergencies and the prepositioning of equipment, manpower, and the food packs,” Suyo said.
She added that the agencies involved during the preparatory meeting were the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.
“The provincial engineering office also took part in the preparatory activity and has identified areas where the provincial equipment will be prepositioned starting Tuesday,” Suyo said.
She also pointed out that based on their assessment and the data provided by PAGASA, the eastern side of the province will be hit first by the landfall of “Odette” on Tuesday evening.
The towns in the eastern part of the province include Kitcharao, Jabonga, Tago, Tubay, Remedios T. Romuldez, and Magallanes.
“We are not discounting the possible effect of the weather disturbance to the western side of Agusan del Norte as we also asked the LDRRMCs in the area to prepare,” Suyo said.
She said information dissemination to residents residing in critical areas is also part of the preparations being conducted by the LDRRMOs in the province.
Source: Philippines News Agency
