Albay typhoon deaths blamed on ‘evacuation failure’

Residents sit inside a classroom at the Central Elementary School which was turned into an evacuation centre in Santo Domingo, Albay province on December 25, 2016 due to approaching Typhoon Nina (int’l name Nock-Ten). AFP PHOTO

LEGAZPI CITY – It was an “evacuation failure,” Cedric Daep, head of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (Apsemo), said after four people were killed during the onslaught of Typhoon “Nina” (international name: Nock-ten) in the province.

“If we had no preparedness, there would be hundreds of casualties. We should blame the community for not evacuating. If they die in evacuation centers, that’s our failure,” he said.

On Saturday, based on a report of Senior Supt. Antonino Cirujales, a 57-year old identified as Espelita Bigas died after being hit by a fallen concrete wall in Balangibang village in Polangui town while a couple identified as Antonio, 73, and Teresita Calingacion, 70, drowned in Viga River of Balinad village of the same town at around 6 a.m. on Dec. 26.

At around 1 p.m., Monday, Gregorio Tadeo, 60, was found dead inside his house in San Roque village in the same town. Initial investigation of police revealed that the victim was hit by a wooden post.

On Monday, 54,053 families or 211,140 persons were decamped after Typhoon Nina left the Bicol region, except for 280 families or 1,012 persons living in Barangay Sta. Cruz of Libon, Albay.

Ian Secillano, head of Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Libon, said evacuees were housed in Agos, Elementary School in Polangui, the nearby town of Libon.

“They will stay in the evacuation center probably for three days until the flooding subsides,” he said.

The flooding was caused by the overflowing Libon Bato Lake. JE/rga

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