NDRRMC urges public to brace for ‘stormy weekend’ due to Auring

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Friday advised the public to brace for the impact of tropical storm Auring.

In a statement, the NDRRMC urged residents of flood and landslides-prone areas in MIMAROPA, the Visayan Islands, and Eastern Mindanao to prepare for a stormy weekend.

“LGU preparation is key to ensuring public safety against the threat of strong winds, floods, and landslides that… Auring poses,” Civil Defense Deputy Administrator for Operations Casiano Monilla said in a statement.

“We emphasize the importance of evacuation planning, the preparation of relief stockpiles and evacuation facilities specified in NDRRMC Memo 54 as well as the continued compliance to minimum health standards against COVID-19,” he added.

In his report on “24 Oras,”  GMA’s resident meteorologist Nathaniel “Mang Tani” Cruz said that inclement weather will prevail over the Visayas starting Saturday night throughout Sunday as Auring crosses the area.

Though Metro Manila will not experience rains during the weekend, rains will prevail over a large portion of the area on Monday if Auring remains on its forecast track.

According to PAGASA’s 5 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the following areas have been placed under TCWS No. 1:

• Southern Leyte and the southeastern portion of Eastern Samar (Guiuan including Homonhon Island)
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Sur
• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Davao Oriental
• Davao de Oro
• Davao del Norte
• Davao City
• Camiguin
• The eastern portion of Misamis Oriental (Balingasag, Balingoan, Binuangan, Claveria, Gingoog City, Jasaan, Kinoguitan, Lagonglong, Magsaysay, Medina, Salay, Sugbongcogon, Tagoloan, Talisayan, Villanueva)
• The eastern portion of Bukidnon (Cabanglasan, Impasug-ong, Lantapan, Malaybalay City, Malitbog, Manolo Fortich, Maramag, Quezon, San Fernando, Sumilao, Valencia City)

Auring weakened into a tropical storm at 2 p.m. on Friday, just hours after it intensified into a severe tropical storm.

PAGASA said Auring is expected to make landfall over the eastern coast of the Caraga Region on Sunday morning.

The NDRRMC said its regional counterparts and offices have reported preparations against the tropical storm.

This includes the prepositioning of equipment, vehicles and personnel, plans for the conduct of preemptive evacuation activities, preparation of evacuation facilities, and relief supplies, and dissemination of warnings to the public.

According to PAGASA, light to moderate with at times, heavy rains may prevail over Caraga, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, and Davao del Norte until Friday evening.  Moderate to intense rains are expected over these areas on Saturday.

Meanwhile, light to moderate with, at times, heavy rains may prevail over Eastern and Central Visayas, the rest of Northern Mindanao, Lanao del Sur, Cotabato, and Davao City.—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News