862 families living in lahar-prone villages evacuated in Albay town

Residents living near lahar-prone areas temporarily take shelter at the Guinobatan East Central School in Guinobatan, Albay on Friday. INQUIRER PHOTO / MICHAEL B. JAUCIAN / INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

GUINOBATAN, Albay—About 862 families were evacuated by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council here for fear of flash floods and lahar as Tropical Depression “Usman” continued to dump heavy rains in Albay province on Friday.

Teresita Alcantara III, chief of the MDRRMC, said the residents of Barangays Tandarora, Muladbucad Grande and Maninila were asked to leave their homes and stay at the public elementary schools in the town proper for their safety.

“We executed the preemptive evacuation to protect the villagers from flash floods and lahar flow coming from Mayon Volcano,” she said.

Decampment would be ordered as soon as the weather condition improved, she added.

In Manito town, Albay, at least eight famiies from Barangay Cawayan were also evacuated, said Jesar Adornado, operation officer of the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol.

He said a landslide was also reported in Barangay Macalaya, Jose Panganiban town in Camarines Norte.

Floodings were also reported in Barangay Mauyod in Legazpi City and in Barangay Binitayan in Daraga town. /jpv