LEGAZPI CITY – Moderate to heavy rains spawned by Typhoon Bising (Surigae) on Monday triggered floods and landslides in some parts of Bicol, sending nearly 40,000 families to various evacuation centers, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in the region said on Tuesday.
An OCD bulletin said evacuated were a total of 39,341 families or 148,486 people as of 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Gremil Alexis Naz, OCD spokesperson, in an interview, said Albay had the highest number of evacuees with 20,805 families or 75,937 people; followed by Catanduanes – 12,214 families or 48,124 people; Camarines Sur – 5,717 families or 22,294 people; Sorsogon – 531 families or 1,805 people; Masbate – 73 families or 292 people; and Camarines Norte – nine families or 34 people.
Flooding affected the towns of Ocampo, Lagonoy, San Jose, and Baao in Camarines Sur, leaving roads and spillways unpassable to all types of vehicles.
In San Miguel, Catanduanes, heavy rains caused the swelling of Bato River, damaging the Obo Spillway, while Barangays Patagan Salvacion, Patagan Sta. Elena, Obo, Dayawa, Siay, Pacogon and Arroyao Saday were isolated by floods.
Landslides were also reported in Bato and Virac towns also in Catanduanes.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) here said all other national roads in Bicol were passable.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the region reported that 959 travelers and 324 rolling cargoes are still stranded in various ports. Most of the stranded passengers (917) were bound for the Visayas and Mindanao.
At least three flights were canceled on Monday, two at the Legazpi Airport, and one at the Masbate airport.
Power outages were reported in the provinces of Albay, Catanduanes, and Camarines Sur. (PNA)
