Super typhoon “Nando” (international name: Ragasa) bore down on Northern and Central Luzon Sunday, forcing preemptive evacuations, school closures for Monday, and emergency preparations as the government braced for widespread flooding, landslides and power outages.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 11 a.m. bulletin that Nando’s eye was 535 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, packing sustained winds of 185 kilometers (km) per hour near the center, gusts of up to 230 kph, and a central pressure of 930 hPa.
Moving west at 15 kph, the storm’s strong to typhoon-force winds extended 530 km from its core.
Six provinces in northern Luzon were placed under Signal No. 2, with PAGASA warning of coastal flooding and landslides in Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera region, and parts of Central Luzon beginning Sunday night.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla ordered local governments to enforce immediate evacuations in high-risk zones.
“Preemptive evacuation is no longer an option but an obligation,” he said, adding that families in danger zones should be moved without delay. Local officials were also told to clear waterways, enforce liquor bans and no-sail policies, and secure evacuation centers.
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development activated shelter clusters across Northern and Central Luzon, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) prepositioned thousands of family food packs (FFPs) in warehouses across Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera.
DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said 4,000 FFPs were delivered to Kalinga, 1,000 to Benguet, and 8,500 more are en route to Cagayan and Isabela. “We are coordinating with our field offices to ensure adequate relief supplies,” she said, urging residents to heed evacuation orders.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said all 44 member-agencies of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) were on alert. OCD Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said local governments had been instructed to work closely with national agencies.
“Preparedness is everyone’s responsibility. We urge the public to cooperate and follow advisories,” he said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the OCD and NDRRMC to remain proactive until the storm passes. “We will be here 24/7 until this super typhoon is over. We cannot afford complacency,” Alejandro said, assuring local officials of full national government support.
Class suspensions were declared in Pangasinan for Monday, September 22. Volunteers continued packing relief goods at the Luzon Disaster Resource Center in Pasay City, while health and public works agencies readied emergency teams.
“Nando” is the second super typhoon to hit the country this year, raising fears of more displacement and damage in vulnerable regions still recovering from earlier storms.