The Iloilo City Government on Thursday afternoon, Dec. 16, ordered the preemptive evacuation of residents living in coastal villages due to a possible storm surge.

“Ideally all those exposed will be evacuated,” City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CDRRM) Officer Donna Magno said in an interview.

She added that the entire city is on alert and Mayor Jerry P. Treñas has already ordered that residents of coastal barangays at risk of Typhoon Odette’s impact should be moved.

As per CDRRMO data, 25 of the city’s 180 barangays are prone to storm surges that could affect 4, 924 families consisting of 19, 067 individuals.

There are 317 available evacuation centers all over the city and the mayor has requested big schools and universities to allow the use of their big buildings as additional evacuation centers.

Iloilo City is currently under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 as per Severe Weather Bulletin No. 11 issued by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

Areas covered by TCWS No. 3 will experience destructive typhoon-force winds and may bring moderate to heavy damage to structures and vegetation.

A storm surge of up to three meters high may cause life-threatening flooding in low-lying coastal areas.

“We expect that it will be felt here by 5 a.m. tomorrow (Dec. 17),” she said.

The city mayor on Thursday also released Executive Order No. 149 that suspended classes in all levels for both private and public schools and works in government offices except those that provide highly essential services such as hospitals and medical facilities from Dec. 16 to 17.

The city government’s essential workforces such as the CDRRMO, Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO), City Health Office (CHO), General Services Office (GSO), and City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) are fully operational while other offices have a minimum number of workers to operate.

The public, meantime, is advised to be ready with their family emergency kit, secure their houses against strong winds, know their evacuation center and the safe route going there.

They may call the city’s emergency hotline numbers 333-3333, 333-2333, 335-154, 0995-986-7405, and 0919-066-1554 when needed.Perla Lena/PNA