Zamboanga del Sur disaster management council on alert as ‘Ruby’ gains strength

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By Hirohito D. Cadion

CDRRMO head Haron Damada meeting with VMayor Divina grace Yu

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Dec. 5 (PNA) – The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) has been placed on alert to respond to flooding and landslide that may occur as typhoon “Ruby” lashes several parts of the country.

This, as the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has identified this province as one of the 55 provinces to be affected by typhoon Ruby and was placed at Alert Level C.

Wilfredo Asoy, Jr., Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer, said Friday all of the local government units (LGUs) through the City and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council had been advised to take the necessary preemptive measures.

Asoy met late Thursday with the mayors and disaster management officers and discussed preemptive measures to ensure the safety and protection of the residents.

This province comprises of one component city and 24 municipalities with a population of 959,685 based on the 2010 census of population.

“The local government units are now taking necessary actions in order to ensure safety of the residents,” Asoy said.

“The search and rescue teams are ready to respond should “Ruby” strike the province,” he added.

PAGASA said Friday that typhoon Ruby continues to gain more strength but slightly slowed down as it moves towards west northwest of Eastern Visayas.

As of 5 a.m., PAGASA said the eye of typhoon "Ruby" was located at 485 km East of Borongan, Eastern Samar (11.5°N, 129.9°E).

PAGASA further said that typhoon "Ruby" which is still in the sea, has gained maximum sustained winds from 205 kilometers per hour (kph) to 215 kph, while its gustiness also rose from 240 kph to 250 kph.

In this city, Vice-Mayor Divina Grace Yu has also convened the CDRRMC and discussed contingency plans.

CDRRMO head Haron Damada said the barangay officials have been ordered to monitor their respective areas especially those prone to flooding and landslides. (PNA)
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