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The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) went on Blue Alert starting 6pm on Tue, Aug 18, to brace for the effects of Typhoon Ineng.
This means that half the manpower of the NDDRMC Operations Center will be on standby.
The eye of typhoon Ineng has been spotted in the vicinity of Aparri, Cagayan, and is expected to bring heavy rainfall to Northern Luzon.
But NDRRMC chief Undersecretary Alexander Pama encourages people – the media included – to look beyond the actual storm track, and keep an eye out for the effects of the southwest monsoon or habagat.
Pama used boxing references to illustrate his point.
“We’ve always focused on the center of the typhoon. Pero in the past, nakakatikim tayo ng left uppercut. Naka-abang lang kasi tayo sa jab straight,” he said.
He was referring to the past weather disturbances where habagat brought as much – if not more – damage compared to the actual storm. Habagat, coming from the southwest, is often pulled northward by storms appearing near the northern section of the country. This causes heavy rains even in the southern and western sections of the Philippines.
“Kundi mag-weaken si Ineng, malakas pa rin ito,” Pama warned. “Huwag tayong mag-focus sa northern part lang.”
As of 4pm on Tue, Aug 18, the eye of Typhoon Ineng was located 1,305 km east of Aparri, Cagayan.
Ineng is packing maximum sustained winds of 170 kph near the center and gusts of up to 205 kph. It is forecast to move west northwest at 25 kph.
Photo: PAGASA
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
