The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Tuesday ordered residents in areas in the path of Typhoon Mars (Insin) to evacuate immediately.
NDRRMC Chairman and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. also ordered local government units (LGUs) in areas within Marce’s forecast path to conduct mandatory evacuations ahead of the typhoon’s arrival.
Teodoro said forced evacuations are needed in areas that cannot be reached by responders.
NDRRMC Chairman and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.
“Usually the police and military are among the first to respond, but residents in hard-to-reach areas must be forced to evacuate,” he said.
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Mars turned into a typhoon on Tuesday morning.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has warned of strong winds, heavy rainfall and gale-force winds along coastal areas under signal number 1 as Marce moves at 30 kilometers per hour (kph) west-northwest with center located 640 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora.
It included maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 150 km/h.
305 SRR teams
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Browner Jr. said on Tuesday that security forces are alert and ready to respond to emergencies in the areas that will be hit by Marse in Northern Luzon.
Weather forecaster Veronica Torres provides an update on Typhoon Mars tracking hours after it entered the Philippine area of responsibility. PHOTOS BY ISMAEL DE JUAN
Weather forecaster Veronica Torres provides an update on Typhoon Mars tracking hours after it entered the Philippine area of responsibility. PHOTOS BY ISMAEL DE JUAN
Weather forecaster Veronica Torres provides an update on Typhoon Mars tracking hours after it entered the Philippine area of responsibility. PHOTOS BY ISMAEL DE JUAN
Weather forecaster Veronica Torres provides an update on Typhoon Mars tracking hours after it entered the Philippine area of responsibility. PHOTOS BY ISMAEL DE JUAN
“In Northern Luzon, we have 305 search, rescue and retrieval (SRR) teams ready to help residents under the threat of Mars,” Browner said.
In addition to SRR teams, the AFP has airlift capabilities consisting of a C-130 cargo plane and seven Black Hawk helicopters.
He added that AFP personnel are loading food and non-food items into two Philippine Navy ships in Subic, Zambales bound for Batanes.
Late last month, Typhoon Leon (Kong-Rey) hit Basco, Batanes, leaving extensive damage to infrastructure and isolating the province for several days.
Days before Leon hit northern Luzon, Superstorm Christine (Trami) hit the Bicol region and southern Luzon with severe flooding.
Christine, Leon, the death toll
On Tuesday, the NDRRMC said the total number of victims of Christine and Leon was 151. It said 21 people were reported missing.
Relief operations are still ongoing in the areas affected by Christine and Leon, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
Citing data from the NDRRMC, the Presidential Communications Office noted that assistance provided to families reached P1.2 billion as of Monday, November 4.
Over 130 areas remain flooded, especially in the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Northern Samar, Zamboanga del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier this week ordered all government agencies to step up preparations for natural disasters, including floods and landslides, to minimize risks to the public.
WITH FRANCISCO TUYAI, CHRISTINA MARALIT AND ARLY O. CALALLO
By james art 
