Due to LPA, shear line-induced rain
TACLOBAN CITY– Over 9,900 families in different parts of the region were affected due to the bad weather spawned by a low-pressure area and shear line that brought heavy rains which resulted in flooding and landslide incidents.
The inclement weather also resulted in the suspension of classes and work in various areas in the region.
As of Monday (Nov. 20), the Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office reported that 9,905 families consisting of 39,369 individuals from 65 barangays in the provinces of Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Biliran, and Southern Leyte were affected due to flooding incidents.
Lawyer Jonalynchie Chua, the DSWD regional information officer, said that of the affected families, 5,697 families consisting of 22,324 individuals were from Eastern Samar; 4,016 families(16,321 persons) were from Samar; 47 families involving 221 persons were from Northern Samar;139 families comprising 485 individuals were from Biliran; and six families(18 persons) from Southern Leyte.
She also reported that 190 families involving 712 persons are now in evacuation centers-139 persons(485 persons) in Biliran; 43 families or 201 persons in Northern Samar; six families or 18 persons in Southern Leyte; and two families (8 persons) in Samar.
In Jipapad town, 46 families involving 100 persons were displaced due to the rise of rainwater reaching up to six meters high, says its disaster risk reduction management officer Vicky Abestros.
The DSWD reported that it has prepositioned 128,836 food items and another 42,437 non-food items to families that could be displaced due to the bad weather.
Meantime, two fishermen from Capul, Northern Samar, Jenie Mente,57, and Lando Magdaraog,39, were rescued in the waters of Tagapul-an, Samar on Sunday(Nov.19) at about 8:30 am.
The motorized banca of the fishermen capsized due to big waves brought by the bad weather, the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police based in Palo, Leyte reported on Monday.
Both Governors Sharee Ann Tan of Samar and Edwin Ongchuan of Northern Samar issued suspension of classes in their respective provinces Monday while several local governments in Leyte like Alangalang, Tolosa, Babatngon, and Tanauan, also suspended classes at all levels.
Here in Tacloban City, while Mayor Alfred Romualdez did not issue any suspension order, classes in mostly public schools in the city suspended their classes using the advisory of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council placing Tacloban under the ‘orange’ alert category which could result to heavy rains.
The nonstop rain has resulted in flooding in some barangays in Calbayog City in Samar; Arteche, Oras, and Jipapad in Eastern Samar; Gamay, Lope de Vega, Palapag, and Catarman in Northern Samar.
The local Pagasa office based in Catarman has issued a flood advisory in Catarman, Pambujan, Catubig, Palapag, and Gamay towns. Residents of these areas are asked to be vigilant for possible occurrence of floods or landslides.
The Simora-Palapag Road in Laoang town, also in Northern Samar was rendered impassable due to a landslide but was immediately cleared of debris by the personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Meantime, the Paranas-Taft Road in Eastern Samar was also rendered closed for motorists and vehicles due to flood but was opened to traffic by afternoon.
A landslide was also reported in sitio Cabatilisan, Brgy. San Jose in Mondragon, Northern Samar. No one was reported injured or affected due to the incident.
Several towns in Northern Samar, notably, San Antonio, Mondragon, Silvino Lubos, Gamay, and San Isidro, have no power supply since Monday.
ROEL T. AMAZONA/JOEY A. GABIETA
