617 people evacuated as Kristine triggers flood in La Union

READ: LIVE UPDATES: Tropical Storm Kristine

La Union map. INQUIRER FILES

DAGUPAN CITY — A total of 227 families, or 617 individuals, were evacuated from Barangay Mindoro in Bangar, La Union after heavy rains from Tropical Storm Kristine submerged the area.

The evacuees were relocated to the Municipal Covered Court and Municipal Evacuation Center, according to the La Union Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office .

Barangay Mindoro is a known flood-prone area, as confirmed by Carmelita Laverinto, director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in the Ilocos region.

During a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Oct. 23, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region I emphasized the importance of preventive evacuations, particularly for vulnerable residents like senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and children.

The MGB reported that 1,929 villages in the Ilocos region are at risk of landslides and flooding based on 100-mm and 150-mm rainfall thresholds.
These include 13 villages in Ilocos Norte, 47 in Ilocos Sur, 527 in La Union, and 1,342 in Pangasinan. With Pangasinan having 1,364 barangays, almost the entire province could potentially be affected.

Marie Angela Gopalan, regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), said the agency had readied 93,836 family food packs and 17,287 non-food items across its 19 warehouses in Region I for distribution to typhoon victims.

However, she noted that local government units (LGUs) were leading the response, with DSWD’s supplies prepared to augment LGU efforts.

In Pangasinan, the provincial government has pre-positioned stockpiles, rescue teams, and heavy equipment in the towns of Burgos, Tayug, San Fabian, and Bugallon in preparation for the storm’s impact. INQ

GRAPHIC: Ed Lustan