RESIDENTS of Puerto Princesa City and nearby coastal communities in Palawan have been urged to remain vigilant ahead of a planned rocket launch by China, whose falling debris is expected to land within Philippine waters.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Monday August 4, warned that fragments from China’s Long March 12 rocket could drop about 21 nautical miles off Puerto Princesa and 18 nautical miles from the Tubbataha Reef Natural Park.
The launch window, according to the NDRRMC memorandum, is scheduled between 6:14 p.m. and 6:42 p.m. (Philippine time), with the rocket being launched from the Hainan International Commercial Launch Center in China.
Government agencies including the Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the Departments of the Interior and Local Government and Environment and Natural Resources have been tasked to enforce temporary maritime restrictions in the affected zones.
Notices to Mariners and navigational warnings have also been issued to prevent civilian vessels from entering potentially hazardous areas.
This is not the first time that the Philippines has been within the projected drop zone of foreign rocket launches. In previous years, similar incidents have triggered concerns about debris management and regional space protocols.
So far, no injuries or damages have been reported in past rocket-related events, but officials continue to advise caution.