15,000 families evacuated in Albay due to Tisoy

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines  — More than 15,000 families were evacuated on Sunday for fear of landslide, flood and lahar flow in two towns in Albay province as Typhoon Tisoy threatens the Bicol region.

Dempsey Alcala, chief of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council in Malinao, said that at 1 p.m., they started the pre-emptive evacuation of 10,784 families or 58,000 persons from 29 barangays which are prone to flooding, storm surge and landslide.

“Families were housed in samaritan shelters and designated evacuation centers,” Alcala said.

In Guinobatan town, Mayor Gemma Ongjoco also ordered the pre-emptive evacuation of 1,500 families or 4,500 persons in villages of Maninila, Tandarora, Muladbucad Grande, Agpay and Malabnig.

These residents were staying at the slopes of Mount Mayon, Onjoco said.

Arnel Garcia, director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Bicol, said they have 7,600 family food packs prepositioned in different provinces while 18,040 packs were on standby at the DSWD warehouse.

As of 10 a.m., typhoon signal no. 2 was raised in Catanduanes while signal no. 1 in Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands.

Edited by MUF