Iloilo City on blue alert as Inday threatens Northern Luzon

ILOILO CITY — Iloilo City has raised its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Blue Alert Status and placed disaster response teams on standby as Typhoon Inday (international name: Bavi) continues to intensify while moving west-northwestward east of Northern Luzon.

The move was announced in Situational Report No. 1 released at 6 p.m. Thursday by the Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center for Mayor Raisa S. Treñas, who chairs the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC).

READ: Batanes, 2 areas under signal No. 2 as Typhoon Inday holds strength

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Based on the state weather bureau’s 5 p.m. Tropical Cyclone Bulletin No. 8, the center of Typhoon Inday was estimated at 780 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan as of 4 p.m. Thursday. The typhoon packs maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour, gusts reaching 205 kph, and is moving west-northwest at 20 kph. Strong to typhoon-force winds extend as far as 860 kilometers from its center.

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Although Iloilo City is outside the direct path of the cyclone, local authorities said preparedness measures have been activated to ensure immediate response should weather conditions deteriorate.

The city has mobilized personnel and equipment from various agencies. These include the Emergency Operations Center, CDRRMO Emergency Medical Services, Urban Search and Rescue teams, Bureau of Fire Protection, Iloilo City Police Office, General Services Office, Field Command Office, City Environment and Natural Resources Office, and Marine Police Station.

Available response assets include ambulances, rescue vehicles, rescue boats, fire trucks, patrol vehicles, dump trucks, buses, chainsaws, and other emergency equipment ready for deployment.

The EOC said it has been conducting round-the-clock monitoring of weather conditions, emergency incidents, and flood early warning devices and closed-circuit television cameras across the city. Coordination with response clusters, media organizations, and the public is also ongoing.

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City disaster officials said a pre-disaster risk assessment was conducted on July 7, followed by continuous dissemination of weather advisories to barangays, district disaster councils, and response partners through public address systems, social media, radio communications, and group chats.

Barangay Emergency Operations Centers have also been activated.

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The Public Information and Community Awareness Cluster has been tasked to provide regular updates through the official Iloilo City Government Facebook page while coordinating with barangay information officers and law enforcement agencies for public advisories.

The City Health Office has placed its emergency medical, health emergency response, water, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, and emergency teams on standby. Medical supplies, including doxycycline, have also been prepositioned, with additional personnel available if needed.

The General Services Office is preparing vehicles for augmentation and hauling operations, while the Department of Public Works and Highways Region 6 has activated its disaster incident management teams, prepositioned quick response assets, initiated drainage declogging and tree pruning activities, and intensified monitoring of national roads and bridges.

The City Environment and Natural Resources Office has placed tree-cutting teams and clearing task forces on standby for immediate deployment. Meanwhile, the City Social Welfare and Development Office has begun preparing evacuation centers, community kitchens, and mental health and psychosocial support teams should evacuations become necessary.

Search and rescue teams from the Bureau of Fire Protection, CDRRMO-Urban Search and Rescue, and maritime police remain on continuous monitoring status, while the Iloilo City Police Office has readied personnel for augmentation and law enforcement operations if required.

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City disaster officials urged residents to remain alert, monitor official advisories, and prepare for possible changes in weather conditions even as the typhoon continues to move toward Northern Luzon. /jpv