ILOILO City — Western Visayas has moved to heightened disaster preparedness as Tropical Depression “Basyang” is expected to traverse the region by tomorrow, Friday, prompting authorities to raise the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Operations Center to blue alert and place response agencies on standby.
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council activated pre-emptive measures following a virtual Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) scenario-building activity conducted Wednesday, February 4, led by the Office of Civil Defense Region 6.
Based on monitoring of the Iloilo Radar Station of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), “Basyang” is moving generally southwestward until today, February 5, before turning west-northwestward beginning Friday morning, February 6. Forecasts indicate initial landfall over eastern Mindanao between Thursday evening and Friday morning before the system crosses Western Visayas on Friday.
Weather officials added that the surge of Northeast Monsoon (Amihan) winds could push the system on a more southward track.
“Basyang” is expected to weaken into a low pressure area as it emerges over the West Philippine Sea by Monday, February 9.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region 6 reported no areas currently identified as susceptible to rain-induced landslides or flooding in the region.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Western Visayas, using its Predictive Analysis for Humanitarian Response (PAHR), said an estimated 509 families or 2,543 individuals could be affected by the weather disturbance.
DSWD-Western Visayas assured it has sufficient resources for response and augmentation, with P143.5 million worth of standby funds and relief supplies ready, including 132,635 family food packs, 23,419 ready-to-eat food boxes, and more than P32 million worth of non-food items prepositioned across the region.
The National Irrigation Administration noted that most dams and river irrigation systems in Western Visayas remain at normal levels, while clearing and de-silting operations are ongoing in anticipation of heavy rains./PN