Forced evacuation starts in Cagayan as Juan intensifies

(Updated 12:35 p.m.) Typhoon Juan has intensified further and now endangers northern Luzon, according to the National Disaster Risk-Reduction and Management Council.

Disaster management officials in Cagayan Valley started preparations Sunday for a preemptive and forced evacuation of people in high-risk areas that will be implemented once the effects of super typhoon Juan is felt in northern Luzon.

Forced evacuation has started in coastal areas, according to radio dzBB.

The council urged residents along coastal areas to seek safer grounds as "ocean surges" can be expected as the typhoon moves closer to land.

“Anytime today, the forced evacuations can start, Norma Talosig, regional director of the Civil Defense Office, said in an an earlier interview on dzBB Sunday.

Juan is forecast to make landfall in Cagayan Valley within the next 24 hours, according to the weather bureau.

“Cagayan including Calayan and Babuyan Group of Islands, and Isabela will experience stormy weather with rough to very rough seas," the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Asrtonomical Services Administration said in its latest bulletin Sunday.

“The rest of Northern Luzon will have rains and gusty winds. The rest of the country will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms," the weather bureau also known as PAGASA added.

At least four areas were placed under Storm Signal No. 3 Sunday as Juan (international name: Megi) continued to intensify and endanger northern Luzon, including Cagayan Valley, Calayan, Babuyan islands, and Isabela, the weather bureau said.

PAGASA warned that Metro Manila residents the may feel the effects of Juan even if the typhoon will not directly pass over the area, as of the the latest weather report as of posting time.

“It is not likely to hit Metro Manila. It is heading for Aparri, Cagayan. But once Juan makes landfall, Metro Manila residents may feel its effects because it is expected to affect a large area," PAGASA forecaster Anthony Lucero said in a separate interview on dzBB radio.

“Our emphasis is now on preemptive evacuation, which is easier than doing rescue work. Our objective is early end-to-end warning, to issue the correct warning for the people to respond and move. This may lessen the impact of a strong typhoon," Talosig said.

“(But) if we have to conduct a forced evacuation we will do it for safety," she added.

Locan government units have already identified evacuation centers along with the villages likely to be affected by Juan, according to Talosig.

In Cagayan, these are the coastal areas, the prone communities that are low lying and prone to flooding and landslides, Talosig added.

Lucero said the effects of the storm signals will be felt in the next 24 hours as Juan will likely intensify into a super typhoon as it rages at sea and gathers strength.

The weather bureau went on red alert Sunday, according to deputy director Nathaniel Servando.
Servando said quick response teams were dispatched to northern Luzon to help update information as to when and where Juan will actually hit.

"Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to north will prevail over rest of Luzon and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northeast to northwest with slight to moderate seas," the weather bureau said in its bulletin. — VS, GMANews.TV