DILG: Forced evacuation being enforced in coastal areas on path of Pepito

Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Juanito Victor Remulla holds a press conference in this file photo taken on October 14, 2024. 📷 NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said a forced evacuation has been ordered in coastal barangays at risk of storm surges as high as two-story buildings.

He said mandatory evacuation is being implemented in barangays located in the eastern seaboard of Region 8, 5, 4, and 2 as soon as possible.

This affects about 200,000 families, he said.

READ: LIVE UPDATES: Typhoon Pepito

Remulla noted that areas at high risk are Catanduanes, Samar Island, Camarines Sur, and Quezon.

“Catanduanes is at the greatest risk here. It wasn’t directly hit by the last five typhoons, but the storm surge warning in Catanduanes is very high,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English during an ambush interview.

Remulla is with other officials attending a situation briefing with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. regarding Typhoon Pepito.

“This is a mandatory evacuation. The DILG [Department of the Interior and Local Government] is also composed of the police, and they will assist, especially with the safety of the houses of those who will be leaving. What homeowners here always fear is that they might get robbed,” he added in a mix of Filipino and English.

Meanwhile during the briefing, Marcos ordered authorities to generate a map identifying areas at risk of storm surges during typhoons.

READ: Marcos orders creation of storm surge risk map for typhoon-prone areas

He said that one critical element of storm surge is the elevation above the high water mark.

This means that, for example, if a three-meter storm surge is expected to hit an area, the people must be evacuated to a location at least five meters high.