Brooke’s Point under state of calamity

FLOODED STREETS. Residents and motorists attempt to travel through a street in Brooke’s Point in Palawan on Tuesday, Dec. 27, flooded by raging water triggered by rains brought by the prevailing shearline and northeast monsoon. The floods, which forced over 400 families in Palawan to leave their houses caused the Sangguniang Bayan of Brooke’s Point to declare the town under state of calamity for a month. Photo by Ronie Mendoza, Contributor

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—The municipal council of Brooke’s Point in Palawan province has placed the town under a monthlong state of calamity beginning Wednesday after rains, brought about by the combined effects of the shearline and northeastern monsoon, triggered floods that forced more than 400 families to evacuate.

Vice Mayor Jean Feliciano told the Inquirer in a text message Wednesday that the council had allocated P9.5 million with the declaration that was adopted from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s resolution after seven barangays were submerged by floodwaters that reached more than a meter, or up to the chest or shoulder.

Since Dec. 24, moderate to heavy rains continued to pour in the southern part of Palawan, triggering floods in Brooke’s Point and other southern towns.Reports released by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) on Tuesday night said at least 405 families, or 1,561 people, in Brooke’s Point had to evacuate. Some 328 families (1,303 people) are housed in 18 evacuation centers while others are staying with relatives.

The PDRRMO, in an update Wednesday, said the number of families affected by flooding in Palawan had reached 1,002 (4,481 people).

Other affected residents were from the towns of Bataraza (238); Quezon (137 families); Narra (98); Sofronio Española (79); Balabac (39); and Taytay (6), who were brought to evacuation centers.The seaport of the island town of Cagayancillo was also damaged due to strong waves crashing into its revetments. —GERALDFORD TICKE INQ

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