Aurora braces for typhoon “Mina”
Posted by Admin on November 24, 2007
Residents of Aurora and other Central Luzon provinces are preparing for the onslaught of Mina, ABS-CBN reported Saturday.
ABS-CBN correspondent Ina Reformina reported that the Aurora’s Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) was preparing for the possibility of a direct hit on the province.
One hundred and ten public elementary and high schools will be used as evacuation centers in eight towns in the province.
Heavy equipment and rubber boats have also been readied for use in clearing and rescue operations in case of landslides and floods, and the National Food Authority had also prepared rice stocks in hand for the evacuees.
All government agencies were place on red alert while all hospitals were placed on white alert.
Meanwhile, a bridge gave way in Maria Aurora town due to strong water currents coming from the mountains. This bridge was one of two bridges that lead into the province.
Because of the damaged bridge, the only passable route going into Aurora would only be through Pantabangan, Rizal.
As of Saturday evening, several towns in the province started to experience rains. The Aurora PDCC is calling on people living along coasts and other low-lying areas to evacuate before Mina makes landfall.
They are specifically calling those living in the municipalities of Casiguran, Dilasag and Dinalungan which was expected to be hit first by the typhoon. In these three towns alone, an estimated 3,921 families will be affected by the weather disturbance.
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 5 pm bulletin Saturday said the typhoon barely moved and was still placed 180 kilometers east of Virac town in Catanduanes province. The typhoon continued to pack maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 210 kph. It is moving in a northwest direction at 11 kph.
It is forecast to be 170 kilometers north northwest of Virac by Sunday afternoon and 100 kilometers west of Casiguran town in Aurora province by Monday afternoon.
Source : ABS CBN News
