No sailing, swimming, fishing in CamSur ahead of ‘Chedeng’

Despite the relatively fine weather on Friday, disaster officials in Camarines Sur have enforced a ban on sailing, island-hopping, swimming, and fishing in anticipation of Typhoon Chedeng (Maysak), which is expected to make landfall Sunday.

“Sa ngayon po ay napaka-init ng panahon dito, parang walang nangyayari. Pero kahit ganun, patuloy pa rin ang ating prepreparasyon para sa bagyo,” Camarines Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) head Lucina Bermejo said in a live phone interview on radio dzBB.

Bermejo said that as early as Thursday, the PDRRMC, with the help of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), has been enforcing a “no-sailing, no-swimming, no-island hopping and no-fishing” policy in all the coastal areas of the province, especially in Caramoan Island.

“Kaninang umaga, puspusan pa rin ang pag-iikot ng PDRRMC and Coast Guard sa Caramoan. Marami nga po ang sumama ang loob sa hindi pag-allow sa kanila na pumalaot o maligo pero sana po ay maintindihan nila na ito ay para sakanilang kaligtasan,” Bermejo said.
 
Bermejo said on Friday afternoon, the PDRRMC will also enforce pre-emptive evacuation in the coastal areas expected to be affected by the typhoon.

“Ilang oras po mula ngayon ay mag-iikot po muli ang ating mga tauhan para magpatupad ng pre-emptive evacuation, lalo nga po dito sa may Caramoan na inaasahan natin na dadaanan ni Chedeng,” he said.

Though it will not make a landfall in the province, state weather bureau PAGASA forecast Chedeng to traverse the sea of Camarines Sur and Catanduanes before it hit Aurora, Isabela, on Sunday morning.

As of Friday morning, PAGASA placed Camarines Sur and Catanduanes under storm signal number one.

Bermejo said all vessels in Sabang Port in San Jose town are not allowed to sail.

“Ayon po sa PAGASA ay bahagya nga pong humina ang bagyo, pero kahit po ganun, yung 150 kilometers per hour na taglay na hangin nito ay malakas pa rin po yun. Kaya pinapayuhan po natin ang ating mga residente na manatili na lamang po sa kanilang mga bahay,” Bermejo said.

It its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Chedeng was packed with maximum sustained winds of 150 kph and gustiness of 185 kph as it continued to head for the eastern coast of Central and Northern Luzon, at 17 kph. moving west-northwest at 17 kph.

PAGASA said Chedeng will bring moderate to heavy rains withing its 150 to 200-kilometer radius.
 
Bermejo said since Thursday, resort owners were already told not to accept tourists.

“Bawal na po muna ang mga turista na papapunta pa lang dito sa probinya. At yun naman pong local tourists ay ina-advise natin na umuwi na sa pinakamalapit nilang uuwian para makabawas na rin sa ililikas,” Bermejo said.

Meanwhile, Bermejo said relief goods and emergency equipment have already been pre-positioned in key areas of the province, especially in district hospitals where some residents in coastal areas will be evacuated. --Elizabeth Marcelo/KBK, GMA News