Almost 1 million in Bicol Region evacuated prior to Rolly landfall — NDRRMC

GETTING READY Residents from Legazpi City, Albay province prepare and evacuate before Typhoon Rolly enters the Bicol region. Photos taken on October 31, 2020, Saturday. MARK ALVIC ESPLANA / INQURER SOUTHERN LUZON

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly a million people in the Bicol Region were already brought to evacuation centers as Typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) moves towards the province, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Saturday.

“Ang total ng [evacuees ng] Region V [Bicol Region] almost one million (Region V has almost one million evacuees),” NDRRMC executive director and Office of Civil Defense Usec. Ricardo Jalad said when asked about the total individuals who evacuated to safer areas before the typhoon makes landfall in the country.

Specifically, Jalad said 174,616 families or 794,000 persons underwent preemptive evacuation in Albay; 1,329 families or 6,645 individuals in Camarines Norte; and 46,000 families or almost 200,000 individuals in Camarines Sur.

Preemptive evacuation still continues in the province of Albay, which is under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 due to Rolly, Jalad also noted.

Aside from Bicol Region, Jalad said preemptive evacuation was already conducted in Calabarzon, particularly Quezon province, as well as Central Luzon or Region III.

“Maraming areas na [ang nakapag preemptive evacuation], diyan sa Calabarzon particularly sa Quezon nagpatupad ng preemptive evacuation even sa Region III may[roong] preemptive evacuation na ginawa,” the NDRRMC official said when sought for figures about number of people transferred to evacuation centers a day before the typhoon’s expected landfall.

(A lot of areas already conducted preemptive evacuations like Calabarzon, particularly in Quezon, and Region III.)

Evacuation in Metro Manila

Meanwhile, Jalad said government agencies are eyeing a preemptive evacuation in Metro Manila, especially individuals living in vulnerable areas.

“Napag-usapan iyong pangangailangan ng preemptive evacuation sa Metro Manila. In fact, napakaraming tao dito na nasa vulnerable areas. Iyong mga nandiyan sa waterways saka sa gilid gilid ng Manila Bay dahil sa panganib ng storm surge,” Jalad said.

(There are talks of mandatory preemptive evacuation in Metro Manila. In fact, there are a lot of people here in vulnerable areas. Those living in waterways and near Manila Bay due to the danger of storm surge.)

Metro Manila is under TCWS Signal No. 2, which expects to experience winds of greater than 61 kilometers per hour (kph) and up to 120 kph for at least 24 hours.

Jalad, meanwhile, assured that there are evacuation centers available at schools and other facilities owned by local governments to ensure the safety of residents during the impact of the typhoon.

“Maraming pwedeng gamitin na schools ang DepEd (Department of Education) at pinapagamit nila as evacuation centers and may leeway yung local government units to use their other facilities as evacuation centers even ang barangay halls na nandoon sa safe na lugar,” he said.

(There are many facilities to be used for evacuation centers. DepEd even allowed schools as evacuation centers. The LGUs may also use their facilities as evacuation centers, even barangay halls located in safe areas.)

CFC