Manila: The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Wednesday assured adequate government resources for response efforts amid the possible impact of Super Typhoon Leon (international name Kong-rey). In a message to reporters, OCD chief Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said the government “always assumes the worst case scenario” for its preparations.
According to Philippines News Agency, Nepomuceno emphasized the importance of replenishing food and non-food items, ensuring an adequate water supply, and pre-positioning rescue teams. Over 1,200 rescue teams are prepared to respond to areas affected by the typhoon. Additionally, concerned agencies are instructed to intensify information dissemination, conduct forced evacuations in hazard-prone areas, and maintain robust communication systems.
In a separate interview, OCD spokesperson Director Edgar Posadas highlighted the comprehensive preparations for Leon’s effects, stating, “We are in full throttle, we are not taking this lightly.” Posadas expressed hope that there
would be no casualties from Leon and confirmed that preemptive evacuations in landslide- and flood-prone areas are underway.
Nepomuceno reported that around 8,771 individuals have been preemptively evacuated from the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon. The weather bureau noted that Leon, with maximum sustained winds of 185 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 230 km per hour, would be closest to the country’s northernmost province of Batanes from late Wednesday night to Thursday morning.