The head of the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office has warned against venturing out over the seaboards of Eastern Mindanao due to moderate to rough seas triggered by Tropical Storm Vinta.
Emmanuel Jaldon, DRRMO head, said the warning is addressed to fisher folks and travelers using small crafts.
At the same time, he said the city information office has announced that the Philippine Coast Guard has cancelled on Thursday all boat travels between Talicud Island and the main island of Samal because of Tropical Storm Vinta.
Sea travel between Davao City and Samal Island will also be no longer allowed after 5 pm on Thursday.
The low pressure area (LPA) off Mindanao that entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday morning; December 20, has developed into a tropical depression and was named “Vinta,” affecting the eastern section of Mindanao.
Information obtained from DOC/ Central 911 Mindanao Weather Forecast that the Caraga and Davao Region will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the Trough of LPA. The rest of Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms. The Eastern section of Mindanao will have moderate winds coming from the Northeast to North with moderate seas.
Emmanuel Jaldon, head of the disaster risk reduction management office, said that scattered to widespread rains is expected over Eastern Visayas and Eastern Mindanao.
“The rest of Mindanao will have light to moderate winds coming from the Northeast with light to moderate seas,” he told the I-Speak forum in City Hall.
Jaldon said that Residents of these areas must undertake appropriate measures against flooding and landslides and coordinate with their respective local government and disaster risk reduction and management offices.
He added that fisher folks and those with small sea crafts are advised not to venture out over the seaboards of Eastern Mindanao due to the moderate to rough seas associated with the approaching Tropical Depression.
Jaldon said that expected landfall between Caraga – Davao Region on Thursday December 21 evening to Friday December 22 morning.
Jaldon said that Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number 2 as of Thursday was raised over Surigao del Sur and northern Davao Oriental Wednesday afternoon. But Pagasa said that the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Compostela Valley, and Davao del Norte might also be included.
