By Ronron
November 22, 2007
Thousands of residents in Albay province in the Bicol region have started to evacuate to schools in preparation for the arrival of tropical typhoon “Mina” this weekend, replacing tropical storm “Lando.”
Region 5 Office of Civil Defense (OCD) director Bernardo Alejandro told Defense reporters in a phone interview that as of 11 am yesterday, some 528 families or 2,195 persons from Albay have already left their homes near the Mayon Volcano and sought temporary shelters in safer grounds.
Alejandro said they were targeting to immediately evacuate 10,076 families or some 50,000 persons from lahar-prone areas in Albay by sundown of Thursday or Friday morning.
Alejandro said a total of 236,000 persons from Albay are expected to be evacuated, based on the information provided by Governor Joey Salceda.
He said the rest to be evacuated are from the flood lanes in the northern part, which is near the Bicol river basin; from the eastern seaboard or coastline towns; and, residents of houses made of light materials.
Alejandro said the 10,076 families or 50,000 persons are prioritized because of their location, although he said there is still no lahar flow as of yesterday.
Aside from Albay, residents of Camarines Sur are also being alerted for possible evacuation. As of yesterday, there were already 2,275 residents affected by flooding in the province.
The government weather station said in its 5pm advisory yesterday that “Mina” has gained more strength and continues to threaten the Bicol Region.
Located at 400 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes at 4pm yesterday, “Mina” already has maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, and gustiness of up to 170 kph.
It is moving westwards at 15 kph and is forecast to be some 100 kilometers east of Virac by this afternoon (Friday), at the vicinity of Camarines Norte tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon, and in the vicinity of northern Mindoro by Sunday afternoon.
But Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator Glenn Rabonza said they were also informed of the possible diversion of “Mina” towards the Central and Northern Luzon area. He said they are alerting Aurora and Isabela provinces because the typhoon could possibly make a landfall there on Sunday morning.
Public Storm Warning Signal No. 2 was already declared in Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Albay, Burias Island, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Southern Quezon, Pililio Island, and northern Samar.
Public Storm Warning Signal No. 1, meanwhile, was declared in Masbate, Romblon, Marinduque, Batangas, Laguna, the rest of Quezon, Aurora, Rizal, Oriental Mindoro, western Samar, Eastern Samar and Biliran Island.
The advisory of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned residents in low lying areas and near mountain slopes under Public Storm Warning signals of possible flashfloods and landslides.
Likewise, residents in coastal areas are also advised to be alert for big waves generated by this tropical cyclone.
Alejandro said they are preparing for the worst so as to avoid incurring the same damages during the onset of typhoon “Reming” late last year in the region.
He said the “preemptive evacuation” is being done in compliance with the directive of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to achieve a zero-casualty incident.
Meanwhile, tropical storm “Lando” has intensified into a typhoon as it continues to move away from the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday afternoon.
According to the 5pm advisory of PAGASA, “Lando” was already some 235 kilometers west southwest of Pag-asa Island as of 4pm yesterday, gaining maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph.
It is moving westwards at seven kph, and expected to be some 260 kilometers west southwest of PAGASA Island.
But when “Lando” exited the PAR, a total of 13 people so far died – five from Placer, Surigao del Norte; two from Surigao City; one from Cebu City; one from Iligan City, Lanao del Norte; one from Leyte; and three from Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
Eleven people were also injured (eight from Cebu City, two from Surigao City, and one from Maasin City in Leyte), and six are missing (one from Negros Oriental and five from Kalibo, Aklan).
The OCD said a total of 5,045 families or 24,653 persons were affected by “Lando,” mostly due to flooding and landslides. Out of these, 1,302 families or 5,148 persons were displaced and sought temporary shelter in 15 evacuation centers.
The affected people are from Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Surigao del Norte.
Cost of damages on agriculture was pegged at Php 13,330,043.98, on agriculture at Php 72,710,000.00, and on houses at P60,780,000.00.
But the cost of assistance released so far by the government and other non-governmental organizations was only P1,752,329.35./DMS
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