Rains brought by LPA displaces 62 families in Puerto Princesa

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PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — Sixty-two families, composed of 244 individuals, in this city were displaced by incessant rains brought by a low pressure area (LPA), the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) reported on Wednesday, Dec. 20.

Fifty-nine families (235 individuals) that were evacuated and brought to the temporary shelter at the mini-city hall by the CDRRMO were from Barangay Luzviminda, while the other three are from Barangay San Miguel.

Most of the evacuees have returned to their homes Wednesday with only 13 remaining at the temporary shelter.

The CDRRMO also reported that part of the national highway in Barangay Inagawan-sub was unpassable Tuesday night, Dec. 19, as floodwaters rose waist-deep, stranding motorists. The road became passable around midnight when flood subsided.

Meanwhile, the Palawan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) also activated its Emergency Operations Center and issued an alert as most of the towns south of the province are also experiencing heavy downpour.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) placed the southern part of the province under tropical cyclone wind signal no. 1 when tropical storm (TS) Kabayan made landfall in Mindanao on Dec. 17. However, Kabayan dissipated into a tropical depression and, later, into an LPA.

But despite the downgrade, the province still experienced moderate to heavy rains that started on Tuesday night.

PDRRMO head Jeremias Alili has cautioned residents to be vigilant and watch out for possible eventualities. Alili also cautioned motorists from traveling.

In Brooke’s Point, MDRRMO head Joey Herredero said they were continuously monitoring the situation of major rivers.

“So far, no significant increase in the water levels of our rivers. Mainly, the winds are coming from the sea and rains are only light to moderate,” Herredero said in a phone interview Wednesday.

Quezon MDRRMO head Eden Cascara also said they expected heavy rains to fall any time but they had also prepared emergency measures.

“Our emergency response teams are already on standby and we are constantly monitoring situations in the barangays,” Cascara said in a separate phone interview.

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