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DILG in W. Visayas reminds LGUs to launch preemptive evac

By Perla Lena

April 11, 2022, 8:19 pm

<p><strong>EVACUATION.</strong> Families affected by flooding in Sara, Iloilo are evacuated by rescue teams on Monday (April 11, 2022). Some 244 families or 1,145 persons are staying in 22 evacuation centers in Capiz and Negros Occidental. <em>(PNA photo courtesy of Sara Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office)</em></p>

EVACUATION. Families affected by flooding in Sara, Iloilo are evacuated by rescue teams on Monday (April 11, 2022). Some 244 families or 1,145 persons are staying in 22 evacuation centers in Capiz and Negros Occidental. (PNA photo courtesy of Sara Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office)

ILOILO CITY – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday reminded the local government units in Western Visayas prone to flooding and landslides to launch preemptive evacuation.

DILG Local Government Capability Development Division chief Christian Nagaynay said the flooding that is affecting northern Iloilo is already the result of the continuous downpour due to the Tropical Depression Agaton.

“We have already messaged our field officers to remind local government units to implement the Charlie protocol in terms of really managing our preemptive evacuation. That’s our continued call and even up to this point we are monitoring efforts of our local government units ,” he said in a virtual press conference.

A report of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) showed that as of 3:30 p.m., 2,570 families or 11, 362 individuals have been affected by flooding from 37 barangays in six towns in the region.

Judith Barredo, DSWD officer-in-charge of the Disaster Response Management, said 244 families or 1,145 persons are already staying in 22 evacuation centers in Capiz and Negros Occidental.

Melissa Banias, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) chief of operations, said the Philippine Coast Guard has deployed its search and rescue cluster (SAR) team with rescue boats to the towns of Sara and Lemery.

She added that the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has activated its virtual emergency operations center (EOC) and is ready to deploy any of its clusters that are on standby.

“We have received so many requests asking for help. At the regional level, our role will come in once our provinces are already exhausted and once we have already received them,” Banias added.

Apart from flooding, landslides were also reported in Calinog and San Enrique towns in Iloilo and parts of Negros Occidental.

As of 4 p.m., the PCG has reported that 231 passengers and 101 rolling cargoes are stranded in the ports of San Carlos, Sagay and Escalante in Negros Occidental. (PNA)

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