TACLOBAN CITY– Work and classes across Eastern Visayas were suspended as the region was placed under storm signals due to tropical depression ‘Paeng’ on Friday (Oct.28).
The incessant rains dumped by Paeng resulted in some areas to experience flooding like in Maasin City, Southern Leyte, and here in Tacloban City, Leyte which reached up to the gutter level.
Tarpaulins displayed in several establishments in Tacloban City were rolled down as work and classes in all levels were canceled by Mayor Alfred Romualdez.
The governors of Southern Leyte, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar also cancelled works and classes while several mayors in Samar and Biliran also made the same move to ensure the safety of their constituents.
In Northern Samar, about 1,324 passengers at its three ports, namely, San Isidro, Dapdap, Balwhartico, and Santa Clara, and all bound for Luzon and 88 passengers in Southern Leyte ports of Liloan and San Ricardo bound for Mindanao were stranded as the Coast Guard cancelled se travel due to Paeng.
In Eastern Samar, a major road located in the municipality of Taft was temporarily closed by the Department of Public Works and Highways for all types of vehicles due to possible occurrence of landslide.
In Hilongos, Leyte, minor landslide incidents were reported in the villages of Taguipa and Tagnate. Preemptive evacuation was also enforced by the local government in some areas identified to be flood and landslide prone areas in the town.
Emergency power interruptions were also enforced in several towns in Leyte like in Inopacan and Matalom to ensure safety of the residents.
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC), meanwhile, asked all local government units to activate their respective disaster councils ‘to conduct proactive actions to prevent any eventualities.’
“Those who are living in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards are advised to follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials,” the RDRRMC said on its advisory.
(JOEY A. GABIETA/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
