Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson issued an executive order on Friday, Nov. 7, directing the mayors to immediately conduct preemptive evacuation of persons and families residing in flood-prone areas due to the threat of Typhoon “Uwan”.
“Uwan” is not expected to directly hit Negros Occidental, but the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Friday night raised Signal No. 1 over northern Negros Occidental.
Included under Signal No. 1 were Escalante City, Toboso, Sagay City, Cadiz City, Calatrava, Manapla, Victorias City, Enrique B. Magalona, Silay City, and Talisay City.
The center of Typhoon “Uwan” was 1,045 km East of Eastern Visayas. It has maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 150 km/h.
Lacson, in his executive order, said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) had, in a directive Friday, enjoined all Local Government Units (LGUs) to immediately initiate critical preparedness and response measures.
This includes preemptive evacuation of communities situated in high-risk areas, in anticipation of the possible landfall of “Uwan”, Lacson said.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) has recommended the immediate implementation of preemptive evacuation in flood-prone, landslide-prone, and storm-surge-prone areas within Negros Occidental to ensure public safety, Lacson said.
“It is imperative to undertake proactive and preventive measures to mitigate the loss of lives and property in light of the imminent threat of Typhoon ‘Uwan’,” the governor said.
Lacson ordered the immediate implementation of preemptive evacuation in flood-prone and landslide-prone areas in component cities and municipalities, as a precautionary measure in view of the expected strong winds and continuous heavy rains from “Uwan,” which may pose grave danger to residents in low-lying and geologically hazardous areas, he said.
All city and municipal mayors are directed to immediately conduct preemptive evacuation of persons and families residing in flood-prone areas as identified and recommended by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), as well as those in other areas highly susceptible to flooding, landslides, and storm surges as determined by their respective Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMCs).*