52,000 in Mimaropa flee Ruby’s fury

Filipino families seek refuge at a school used as an evacuation center as they prepare for Typhoon Hagupit in Legazpi, Albay province, eastern Philippines Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014. AP

LUCENA CITY, Philippines–At least 52,092 persons from 12,670 families have been evacuated in the Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region to escape Typhoon Ruby’s fury, according to the regional Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
In a situation report issued at noon Sunday, Eugene Cabrera, OCD-Mimaropa director, said Romblon has the highest number of evacuees with 23,445 persons, followed by Palawan – 8,628; Oriental Mindoro – 7,679; Occidental Mindoro – 7,597; and Marinduque – 4,733.

Classes in all school levels in the five island-provinces were suspended, said Cabrera, also the director of the regional disaster risk reduction and management council (RDRRMC).

Operations in all sea ports had also been suspended in the face of the approaching typhoon.

Cabrera said the OCD-RDRRMC has coordinated with Philippine Coast Guard to strictly implement the ‘no sail policy” to prevent casualty during the passage of typhoon Ruby.

An initial 20,796 food packs for the evacuees were available at the regional warehouse of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Cabrera said all available resources/equipment/manpower of the Department of Public Works and Highways in the region were sent ahead of the typhoon in critical areas, particularly along road sections prone to landslide and floods.

Police search and rescue teams were also placed on standby for possible deployment in different areas of the region.

Typhoon Ruby was projected to make six landfalls from Saturday to Monday as it passed the Visayas islands, Bicol and Mimaropa regions.

It is forecast to hit Romblon on Sunday and Occidental Mindoro on Monday.