Close to 800 residents flee ‘Ompong’ in Bicol

LEGAZPI CITY – Some 766 residents in the provinces of Albay, Catanduanes, and Camarines Norte had to leave their homes Friday as Typhoon “Ompong” (international name: Mangkhut) dumped rains in Luzon since Thursday night.

Mayor Ann Gemma Ongjoco of Guinobatan town in Albay province said since Thursday night, they have evacuated 106 families (286 persons) from Barangay Muladbucad Grande. The evacuation was also ongoing in the villages of Maninila and Tandarora, areas prone to lahar flow.

In Catanduanes, as of 7:30 a.m., 54 families (204 persons) were evacuated in San Andres; 6 families (29 persons) in Virac; and 20 families (100 persons) in Pandan, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in a report.

In Camarines Norte, 147 residents (50 families) living in the coastal areas of Mercedes town were evacuated Thursday night, according to Antonio España, Camarines Norte’s disaster risk reduction and management officer.

España said 47 families were evacuated due to fears of “coastal erosion,” which is the land displacement of coastal areas often caused by wind or waves during typhoons.

España said coastal erosion is common in Barangay 7 in Mercedes. He said the evacuees stayed at the Del Rosario village hall.

As of this posting, Camarines Norte, along with the five other Bicol provinces, were still under tropical cyclone warning signal number 1.