The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) of Baler, Aurora, temporarily halted movement of its response teams on Sunday afternoon to ensure the safety of responders and personnel as Super Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong) nears the province.
According to the Baler MDRRMO in an advisory, the ‘No Movement, No Rescuers’ policy was implemented at exactly 5 p.m.
‘This measure is intended to ensure the safety of all responders and personnel amid the continuous heavy rains and strong winds brought by Super Typhoon Uwan,’ the office said.
With this, all rescuers and agency personnel are encouraged to stay in safe areas and suspend any field activities until clearance or a go-signal is issued by the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and MDRRMO Baler.
‘The primary goal of this measure is the safety of everyone. Please remain indoors, avoid going outside, and continue to monitor official advisories from MDRRMO Baler and the local government,’ the MDRRMO said.
Despite this, the MDRRMO told Baler residents to contact 09205941906 in case of any emergency.
As of 6:47 p.m., the MDRRMO also reported that the entirety of Baler currently has no power.
Baler-as well as other parts of the central portion of Aurora-is among the areas currently under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 5 where winds greater than 185 kilometers per hour are expected in at least 12 hours.
The state weather bureau also forecasts Uwan to make its initial landfall within the central portion of Aurora. /cb