Philippine gov't on red alert for typhoon Jelawat

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Friday that it is on red alert ahead of tropical storm Jelawat (local name Lawin) which could bring moderate to intense rainfall. NDRRMC executive director and concurrent Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Benito Ramos said the agency upgraded its status to "red alert" from "blue alert" at 8 a.m. today "We want to make sure that we can immediately respond (to any untoward incident) and to ensure that our resources are in place," said Ramos. He also said NDRRMC regional offices have been ordered to undertake precautionary measures and to initiate preemptive evacuation of families in low-lying and mountainous areas should the need arise. As of 10 a.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration said tropical storm Jelawat was located at 600 kilometers east of the city of Virac in the northern Philippine province of Catanduanes. The typhoon is expected to be 415 kilometers east of Legazpi city in the northern Philippine province of Bicol by Saturday morning.