UK advises nationals to take precautions in PHL monsoon, cyclone season

The monsoon season in the Philippines has drawn concern not only from local disaster management officials but also from foreign governments.

The United Kingdom advised its nationals to take safety precautions against cyclones Thursday, shortly before tropical storm "Butchoy" (Guchol) entered Philippine territory.

“(P)articular care should be taken when traveling to Northern Luzon and the Bicol, Samar and Leyte regions. During the monsoon season, heavy rains can cause flooding and landslides may occur,” the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said in an update on its travel advice.

During the monsoon season, it advised its nationals in the Philippines to “exercise caution and follow the advice of the local authorities.”

It added tropical depressions and cyclones typically bring strong winds and rain to the Visayas and Luzon regions.

“Approximately 20 typhoons hit the Philippines each year. The monsoon season in the Philippines normally runs from June to November. Most typhoons occur during this period but they can affect the country at any time,” it said.

Citing data from the Philippine Tourism Department, the UK FCO said over 130,000 British tourists visited the Philippines in 2011, with most visits being trouble-free.

Precautions

The FCO advised UK nationals staying in cyclone-prone areas in the Philippines to take the following precautions:.

- regularly check or subscribe to the UK country travel advice

- monitor local radio, TV and press

- keep in touch with your travel/tour operator

- register with the local British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate

- follow local advice and leave the area if advised

- remember that airports and hotels may shut down if a hurricane approaches.

“Our ability to help British nationals may be limited (perhaps severely) in these circumstances. We do not have Embassies in every location likely to be affected by hurricanes, for example some islands in the Caribbean, and this is likely to also have an impact on the level of assistance we can provide in certain places,” the FCO said.

But the FCO said it will advise against travel because of a tropical cyclone only if it determines the risks of travel there were too high.

“A number of factors are used to reach this decision. Our travel advice will be regularly updated to reflect the latest information about a tropical cyclone as it passes over a populated area. This includes global reporting on severe weather systems from the UK Met Office, as well as regional sources such as the US National Hurricane Centre,” it said

Source:-
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/stor...ake-precautions-in-phl-monsoon-cyclone-season

Here is the FCO update concerning Natural Disasters

and here some general FCO information about Tropical Cyclones

Here's a link just in case you get worried, I know info's not that good in Phills.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...tZ3RCg&usg=AFQjCNF-7OC3P2jFfheensTqwibG8noIHQ

Quite a good site that one.

Here's a neat site also.
http://noah.dost.gov.ph/

Here is the link for Typhoon2000 without the google stuff:

http://www.typhoon2000.ph/

makes a great difference that.