NGCP readies for Ramil

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on Saturday said it has put in place measures to ensure that Tropical Storm Ramil would have a minimal impact on its transmission infrastructure.

As of Saturday morning, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No.2 was raised over four areas as Ramil moves over the sea east of Sorsogon. 

The areas under TCWS No. 2 are:

• Camarines Norte
• Catanduanes
• the northern portion of Camarines Sur (Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, San Jose, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Presentacion)
• Polillo Islands

With this, the NGCP said it has implemented the necessary preparations and precautions to minimize the impact of Ramil on transmission operations and facilities.

“Preparations include ensuring the reliability of communications equipment, availability of hardware materials and supplies necessary for the repair of damage to facilities, as well as the positioning of line crews in strategic areas to facilitate immediate restoration work,” the grid operator said.

“NGCP’s Integrated Disaster Action Plan (IDAP) prescribes these and other procedures to ensure the readiness of all power transmission facilities expected to be affected by the passage of the weather disturbances,” it added.

In its rainfall outlook, PAGASA said 100 to 200 mm of rains may be expected in Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar on Saturday.

Meanwhile, 50-100 mm of rainfall may fall over Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Masbate, Samar, and Biliran.

Ramil's trough or extension and outer rainbands as well as the easterlies will bring strong to gale-force gusts on Saturday over the following areas not placed under TCWS, especially in coastal and upland areas exposed to winds:

• Cagayan Valley
• CALABARZON
• Metro Manila
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur; Marinduque
• Mindoro Provinces
• Masbate

At 7 a.m., Ramil's center was estimated to be located at 260 km east of Juban, Sorsogon.

Ramil has maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center, with gustiness of up to 80 km/h, and central pressure of 1000 hPa.

The storm is moving west northwestward at 15 km/h.

From the center of the storm, strong to gale-force winds are extending outwards up to 400 km. --VAL, GMA Integrated News