Some coastal villagers in Catanduanes resist evacuation

Residents are assisted into a truck after the local government implemented preemptive evacuations at Barangay Matnog, Daraga, Albay province on December 25, 2016, due to the approaching Typhoon “Nina”.  AFP PHOTO

VIRAC, Catanduanes – Virac Mayor Sammy Laynes said some residents refused to leave their homes, especially those living along coastal areas vulnerable to storm surge, despite strong winds and heavy rains as Typhoon “Nina” (international name: Nock-ten) approach the province Sunday afternoon.

As of Sunday afternoon, the Virac disaster risk reduction and management office recorded 1,602 families, corresponding to 6,957 persons, evacuated from 26 villages.

This figure does not include 121 inmates of the Virac District Jail located near the shoreline. They were moved by Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel with assistance from Virac MDRRMC to a building at Virac Pilot Elementary School a kilometer away.

The provincial government estimated 14,160 individuals or 3,160 families more living in 59 barangays were living in respective evacuation centers.

Power was cut off at 3 p.m. in the entire island province Sunday by First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative as a precaution against the typhoon.