Teodoro instructs regions to prep for Nika

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has instructed all regional directors to enhance preparations for Severe Tropical Storm Nika, which is expected to make landfall in Isabela or Aurora province on Monday.

Teodoro's directive came during a Sunday meeting with Civil Defense officials at Camp Aguinaldo, where he coordinated disaster response measures and discussed safety protocols including the suspension of marine activities in affected regions.

Officials urged regional directors to activate local interagency coordination cells for rapid communication with local authorities and increase public awareness efforts in high-risk areas.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) also advised communities to convert critical information into actionable plans, urging the public to remain vigilant and follow safety guidance from OCD, PAGASA, and local disaster councils.

Nika was last spotted 690 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon, carrying maximum sustained winds of 100 kph and gusts up to 125 kph, moving north-northwestward at 30 kph.