Ompong makes presence felt in Northern Luzon as residents flee

Typhoon Ompong on Friday started dumping light to moderate rains in Northern Luzon as preemptive evacuation continued ahead of Ompong's expected landfall in Cagayan or Isabela on Saturday morning, the Office of Civil Defense said Friday.

“Sa ngayon, nakikita na natin ang epekto ng bagyong Ompong rito sa Region 1. 'Yung pag-uulan nagsimula kaninang hapon rito sa San Fernando, La Union, Light to moderate rains rin sa Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur at Pangasinan. Kaya ongoing ang preemptive evacuation,” Mike Aldrin Sabado, Information Officer of OCD Region 1, said in an interview with Quick Response Team.

“We are very sensitive [in term of] using forced evacuation. We call it preemptive evacuation at may cooperation ang community para sa sapat na paghahanda papunta sa ligtas na lugar. Tinutukan namin 'yung coastal areas dahil sa hangin na dala ng bagyong Ompong...'yung possibility ng storm surge. Kahit 'yung [mga tao] sa mountainous areas, flood prone at landslide prone areas based on our historical data, lumikas na rin,” Sabado added.

Aside from preemptive evacuation, Sabado revealed that farmers and fisherfolk also heeded the government's advice of harvesting their products ahead of Ompong's landfall.

“Hinarvest na nila kasi para 'di na sila malugi dahil sa epekto nitong bagyo,” Sabado said.

Sabado then assured the public that the supply of relief goods from the Department of Social Weather and Development would be enough for those affected by the typhoon, and that a standby rapid telecommunication team is in place in the event that telecommunication cell towers get destroyed by the typhoon.

“Ayaw na namin 'yung nangyari dati noon typhoon Lawin na nawalan kami ng communication dahil nasira ang mga telecommunication facilities,” Sabado said. —Llanesca Panti/NB, GMA News