Ships seek shelter in Barangay Tayud in Consolacion town in anticipation of Typhoon Odette
TACLOBAN CITY—Local governments in the Visayas have started evacuating people living near the seas and rivers as well as in landslide-prone areas in preparation for the onslaught of Typhoon “Odette” (international name: Rai).
Sea travel was also suspended as many parts of the region were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1.
The suspension came a week before Christmas eve when many who work and go to school in some parts of the Visayas will head home for the Christmas break.
In Eastern Visayas, 194 families consisting of 1,778 persons were evacuated on Wednesday.
Mayor Alfred Romualdez of Tacloban City in Leyte appealed to families living on the coastlines and who refused to leave their homes not to wait for forced evacuation.
Romualdez also issued an order suspending work and classes on Wednesday.
Aside from Tacloban, work and classes in Samar and Southern Leyte provinces were likewise suspended.
Front-line office employees involved in health, peace-keeping, and disaster management, however, will report for work.
The local governments in the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc, in Leyte also suspended COVID-19 vaccinations.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development had prepared 21,987 family food packs for evacuees.
The Philippine National Police has deployed 1,581 police personnel across the region for possible search, rescue, and retrieval operations.
In Cebu City, a standby fund of P100 million was prepared for persons displaced by the typhoon.
“The budget will be used to buy food and other needs of evacuees,” said Ramil Ayuman, chief of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has readied all necessary equipment, including inflatable boats, in case of severe flooding in the city.
In Cebu province, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia had set up an incident command post in Sibonga town, where heavy equipment, including rescue vehicles, and relief goods are stored and readied for deployment.
Sibonga is located 55 kilometers south of Cebu City and is a strategic location to easily deploy the needed personnel, said Neil Sanchez, head of the Cebu Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office.
In case the typhoon veers to the north, Sanchez said they are also setting up a command center in Danao City, located 48 kilometers away from Cebu City.
The private sector groups led by the Cebu Contractors Association have also offered their equipment should there be a need during the storm.
In Bohol, fishermen in Baclayon town transferred their motor bancas to a safer place.
In Tagbilaran City, some billboards along Gallares Street were rolled down in anticipation of the strong winds brought by Odette.
In Western Visayas, pre-emptive evacuations have also started.
In Roxas City in Capiz, 217 families or 706 persons were evacuated starting Tuesday evening from 10 mostly coastal barangays.
In Pontevedra town also in Capiz, classes and work in government offices will be suspended from Dec. 16 to 17.
Trips of passenger boats between the mainland of Malay town in Aklan and Boracay Island on Wednesday were limited from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. with up to 50 percent of seating capacity.
The trips would be suspended starting at 6 a.m Thursday.