MANILA, Philippines - The government will ban planes from flying and vessels from sailing in areas that lie along the expected path of the rocket to be launched by South Korea this month.
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Benito Ramos said the no-fly, no-sail and no-fishing zones would be implemented anytime from Nov. 15 to 24, the window of the launch.
“We do not know the exact time yet. In the meantime, we will issue the necessary warnings to our countrymen,” Ramos said.
The ban will be imposed from 3 p.m. to 6:25 p.m. and will cover waters and air space off the Bicol provinces, Samar, Leyte, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur.
The “exclusion zone” will cover a 600-kilometer by 400-kilometer area about 540 nautical miles east of the Philippine eastern seaboard.
Ramos said airlines and shipping firms would have to implement rerouting schemes to ensure the safety of their passengers.
“Many flights and trips will be affected but I do not have the exact figure with me. The CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) and Marina (Maritime Industry Authority) will make the necessary coordination,” he said.
Ramos also advised fishermen in the affected areas to store enough food before the implementation of the fishing ban.
Early this month, South Korea announced plans to launch a satellite into orbit on Oct. 26 as part of its scientific research program.
The Science and Technology Satellite-2 aboard Korea Space Launch Vehicle-I was supposed to be launched from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, Jeollanam-do.
The original window of the launch was Oct. 26 to 31 but this was deferred due to a fuel problem.
He said South Korea tried to launch the rocket yesterday at 3 p.m. but postponed it anew due to a technical glitch.
Ramos said the foreign affairs department informed him that the planned launched was at 9 a.m. yesterday. But after 15 minutes, CAAP informed Ramos the launch had been deferred to mid-November.
This was the fourth time that South Korea deferred the rocket launch.
Seoul’s previous attempts to launch the rocket happened in 2009, 2010 and on Oct. 26 this year.
Ramos said concerned agencies have set contingency measures even as he claimed that it is highly unlikely that the debris of the rocket would land in Philippine territory.