THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued a directive to all local government units (LGUs) to complete the mandatory evacuation of residents in high-risk communities by Sunday, ahead of the anticipated landfall of Severe Tropical Storm Fung-Wong, which will be named “Uwan” upon entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
The DILG specifically instructed LGU officials to prioritize the safety of their constituents and not delay evacuations until weather conditions deteriorate further. Residents in areas prone to flooding and landslides must be moved to safer locations proactively.
“Early evacuation saves lives. We’re asking all local chief executives to complete preemptive or mandatory evacuations no later than Sunday,” the DILG said in a statement released on Friday.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa)’s 11 a.m. bulletin, Fung-Wong was last tracked approximately 1,690 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao, packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 90 kph.
The storm is expected to enter the PAR by late Friday or early Saturday. Once inside, it is projected to intensify into a typhoon by Friday night and could potentially strengthen into a super typhoon by Saturday. Pagasa also indicated the possibility of landfall in northern or Central Luzon by Monday.
