Isabela evacuates thousands as Kristine threatens coastal towns

READ: LIVE UPDATES: Tropical Storm Kristine

Evacuees in Palanan, Isabela take instruction from local disaster response officers. —Photo courtesy of Palanan DRRMO

CAUAYAN CITY, ISABELA, Philippines — Over 4,300 residents in the four coastal towns of Isabela have been evacuated because of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami).

Based on data provided by the local disaster response units of Dinapigue, Divilacan, Maconacon and Palanan towns to INQUIRER.net on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 1,312 households are now in evacuation centers, like schools and barangay halls.

• Divilacan: 213 households or 751 individuals
• Dinapigue: 221 households or 493 individuals
• Maconacon: 387 households or 1,367 individuals
• Palanan: 491 households or 1,766 individuals

READ: Kristine now a severe tropical storm; Signal No. 3 in 12 Luzon areas

As pointed out by lawyer Constante Foronda Jr., head of the disaster response office of Isabela, the local government is prepared to assist all the evacuees, saying that 16,000 relief packs from the local government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development are ready for distribution.

Earlier today, Vice Governor Faustino Dy III called on residents to heed the government’s call for preemptive evacuation: “I am calling on residents, especially those living in low-lying and landslide prone areas [to evacuate].”

He said all officials from the province down to the barangays “are ready to respond to all your needs,” stressing that cooperation is needed to make everyone safe from the severe tropical storm.

GRAPHIC: Ed Lustan