The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) warned on Monday, December 13, that the entire Western Visayas, including Negros Occidental, is at high risk as Tropical Storm “Rai” approaches the Philippines.
The tropical storm once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) will be known as “Odette.”
The center of the Tropical Storm “Rai” was estimated at 1,630 km East of Mindanao, outside the PAR, as of 4 p.m. Monday, a Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) advisory said.
It had maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center, gustiness up to 80 km/h, and central pressure of 998 hPa, it said.
“Rai” intensified into a tropical storm at 2 p.m. Monday and is forecast to gradually intensify and may reach typhoon category by Wednesday, PAGASA said.
Current track and intensity forecast shows that there is a high likelihood that Tropical Cyclone wind signals will be hoisted for Visayas, large portions of Mindanao, and several provinces in Southern Luzon due to the threat of strong to typhoon-force winds, PAGASA said.
The RDRRMC in a memorandum to all DRRMCs in the region said the Emergency Preparedness and Response Protocol is activated to “Charlie”, which requires utmost preparations against “Odette.”*