TAKING CHANCES. Local fishermen in Estancia, Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte take chances to fish near the shoreline before tropical storm Dante makes landfall in mainland Luzon. Ilocos Norte is now at Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1. (PNA photo by Leilanie G. Adriano)
LAOAG CITY – The Ilocos Norte government through the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has directed all its cities and municipalities to place their respective disaster operation centers on heightened alert in preparation for the possible onslaught of Typhoon Dante (international name Choi Wan).
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Marcel Tabije confirmed this on Wednesday following a memorandum from Regional Director Eugene G. Cabrera of the Office of the Civil Defense, urging all local disaster risk reduction and management council chairpersons to take proactive preparations as the storm may affect the different provinces of Region 1.
According to the weather bureau, tropical storm Dante is expected to be in the vicinity of San Carlos City in Pangasinan at 5 a.m. Thursday (June 3).
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Emergency Operations Center have raised its alert status from blue to red.
A red alert status warns residents to go on shelter already or to take preemptive evacuation especially in communities identified as highly vulnerable to storm surges, flooding, and landslides while taking into consideration the observance of minimum health protocols due to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
In addition, residents in coastal areas are highly advised not to sail until the weather disturbance is over.
“We hope that the incoming typhoon will bring us more rain which is all we need at this time,” said Tabije as the people of Ilocos Norte have been praying for more rain in preparation for the upcoming planting season. (PNA)
