Disaster officials activated emergency measures Friday as typhoon “Ada” moved toward Eastern Visayas and the Bicol Region, threatening to trigger landslides and volcanic mudflows in areas already vulnerable from Mayon Volcano’s unrest.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) warned that the storm, the first tropical cyclone of the year, could aggravate conditions in Albay province. Heavy rains are expected to wash volcanic debris down the slopes of Mayon, creating life-threatening lahars in nearby communities.
As of Friday morning, more than 3,200 passengers were stranded at ports across the Bicol and Caraga regions. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that 2,435 people and 1,167 vehicles are stuck in Albay, Masbate and Sorsogon, with nearly 2,000 of those stranded at the Matnog port in Sorsogon alone.
In the Caraga region, another 823 passengers and 388 vehicles are waiting at the Surigao and Lipata ports.
State weather bureau PAGASA said Ada was located 370 kilometers east of Surigao City as of 5 a.m. Friday. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 65 kph and gusts of up to 80 kph. Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is in effect for the Dinagat Islands and the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.
The storm’s heavy rains have already caused flooding and landslides in parts of Mindanao. The Butuan-Surigao national highway became impassable to light vehicles in parts of Tubay and Kitcharao, while landslides were reported in four barangays across Butuan City and Agusan del Norte.
Local governments in Butuan City and several Agusan del Norte towns suspended classes Friday in response to the deteriorating weather.
Commodore Ivan Roldan, the coast guard commander in Bicol, said 391 response groups are on heightened alert. National and local agencies have conducted pre-disaster assessments and urged residents in high-risk zones to follow evacuation orders.