The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has placed its Operations Center on “blue alert” footing as Tropical Depression Crising heads for Samar Saturday afternoon.
“The NDRRM Operations Center has maintained its Blue Alert Status, with representatives of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Philippine Coast Guard rendering duty for prompt coordination and monitoring for possible effects,” it said in its update.
Aside from this, the agency has also disseminated its severe weather bulletin, and weather advisories to all regional, city and municipal disaster response units through text and fax messages, and websites.
‘Crising’, as of Saturday noon, has slightly weakened, with maximum sustained winds of up to 45 km. per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph.
According to the state weather bureau, PAGASA, it was last eyed at 155 km. east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, moving west northwest at 20 kph towards Samar.
PAGASA expects moderate to occasionally heavy rains within ‘Crising’s’ 250-km. diameter. (PNA)