584 families in Lucena evacuated due to ‘Quinta’

LUCENA CITY –– At least 584 families in this city fled from their homes when Typhoon “Quinta” (international name: Molave) battered Quezon province Sunday.

“Some of them remain at the evacuation centers wanting to be sure of safe weather,” Arnel Avila, city public information officer, said in a phone interview around noon Monday.

Lucena Mayor Roderick Alcala visited the evacuation centers and distributed food packs, bottled water, and face masks to protect the evacuees from contracting the coronavirus disease.

Avila said the refugees composed of 2,429 individuals and are residents of Barangays 1, 4, 5, 8, and 9 at the city center and rural villages of Cotta, Ibabang Dupay, Marketview, Mayao Crossing, Silangang Mayao, Ibabang Iyam, and the coastal barangays of Dalahican, and Talao-Talao.

“We don’t have reports on casualties. We have yet to receive the final report on the number of damaged houses,” Avila said.

Alcala suspended work in government offices and modular and online classes in public and private schools at all levels Monday.

On Sunday morning, authorities conducted a pre-emptive evacuation of residents along the Iyam and Dumacaa rivers and Tayabas Bay coastline to protect them from flash floods and storm surges.

On Oct. 8 and 9, heavy rains triggered the twin rivers to overflow and caused two successive flash floods that prompted the evacuation of more than 500 families living along the side of the rivers.

The floodwater reached more than three feet high and damaged numerous houses and some schools in low-lying areas along the riverbanks.

From Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 on Sunday, the state weather bureau lowered the warning in Quezon province to TCWS No. 1 Monday noon as Quinta continues to move towards the western boundary of the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

ZB