Municipal disaster offices in northern Palawan are now on alert as storm Tino moves closer to the country, bringing the risk of strong winds and heavy rain.
On Saturday, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said some parts of northern Palawan may be placed under Signal No. 3 or 4 as the storm continues to move westward.
In El Nido, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) activated its Incident Management Team together with barangay responders to monitor coastal areas. Equipment for search and rescue operations has been prepared, while boat owners were told to tie down their vessels or move them to safe locations.
Dumaran Mayor Richard Herrera met with barangay captains and local disaster personnel to prepare for possible strong winds and rain.
In Taytay, the MDRRMO readied rubber boats and lighting gear. Linapacan Mayor Emil Neri also advised residents in coastal communities to stay alert as his disaster team monitors shoreline conditions.
Classes in San Vicente, Linapacan, and El Nido are suspended on November 3 and 4 until further notice.
From the state weather bureau, PAGASA forecaster Dan James Villamil said at 5 a.m. that “the latest location of Severe Tropical Storm Tino is about 430 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.”
He added that “it has maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 135 kilometers per hour.”
Villamil said the storm “continues to move west-southwest at 30 kilometers per hour, and may make landfall over Eastern Samar, Leyte or Dinagat Islands before crossing toward northern Palawan.”
He also warned that “within the next 12 hours, Tino may intensify into a typhoon and possibly reach super typhoon category before landfall.”
Villamil noted that the storm’s outer rainbands have already reached parts of the eastern Visayas and Mindanao and may later affect MIMAROPA areas including northern Palawan.
He also said that possible storm surges of up to two meters may occur along exposed coastal communities.
Residents are advised to prepare for flooding, landslides and strong waves as Tino continues to strengthen.
PAGASA will issue updated bulletins every three hours as the system moves across the Visayas toward Palawan. (with a report from Ruil Alabi)
