NDRRMC says prepared for Helen

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Sunday assured that it is prepared to respond to areas that will be directly hit by Typhoon Helen.

NDRRPC chief Ricardo Jalad said the NDRRMC has been coordinating with concerned agencies to help Batanes province prepare for the typhoon.

"Noong isang araw pa natin pinaghahandaan iyan, nagkaroon tayo ng meeting with the different agencies na miyembro ng council," Jalad said in a radio interview on dzBB.

Jalad added that the NDRRMC is also communicating with Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco.

He said the Batanes disaster response team has been prepared since Typhoon Ferdie had just hit the province.

Jalad, meanwhile, said that the arrival of the post-disaster assessment team for the rehabilitation of Batanes has been delayed until next week due to Typhoon Helen.

"Iyong ating team na ipapadala doon na magsagawa ng post-disaster damage and risk assessment para i-validate iyong damage ay hindi muna natin maipapadala dahil nga sa bagyo," Jalad said.

"Paglipas na nito next week para ma-evaluate at ma-validate na ang report at makapagsubmit na ng kumpletong assessment na magiging basehan sa rehabilitation ng Batanes," he added.

Jalad said Basco, the capital of Batanes, sustained the most damage from Ferdie.

"Iyong Itbayat, doon nag-landfall pero mas malaki ang damage sa Basco. Kasi sa Basco may completely damaged na mga kabahayan. Sa Itbayat, partial lang iyong mga damages," the NDRRMC chief said.

Jalad noted that Helen will not make landfall in Batanes based on PAGASA's forecast track. —ALG, GMA News