The police in Luzon and the Visayas will remain on alert for rescue operations in the wake of Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong), the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday.
Uwan whipped many parts of Luzon over the weekend, leaving at least two individuals dead, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
‘All PNP field units in the entire Luzon and Visayas will remain on alert to ensure that evacuation and rescue operations are conducted safely and efficiently,’ acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement.
‘One of the main priorities right now. is the road clearing operations in order to ensure the smooth movement of relief goods and equipment in areas severely affected by the weather disturbance,’ he added.
Nartatez said that at least 25,878 police officers were deployed across the country to help in efforts to respond to the typhoon’s onslaught, including around 2,100 officeral to secure evacuation centers.
Nartatez added that an additional 13,190 Reactionary Standby Support Force personnel and 1,219 police vehicles and equipment were ready to be deployed.
Uwan was last spotted 125 kilometers (km) west-northwest of Bacnotan, La Union at 7 a.m. on Monday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (Pagasa) latest update.
The typhoon was packing maximum sustained winds of up to 150 km per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 185 kph while moving west-northwest at 20 kph.