RESCUE. Responders conduct a rescue operation in Barangay Dumarao, Capiz following the flooding due to tropical storm Paeng on Friday (Oct. 28, 2022). The province of Capiz is one of most-affected areas in Western Visayas by the tropical storm, according to Cindy Ferrer, spokesperson for the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in an interview. (Photo courtesy of MDRRMO Dept. FB)
ILOILO CITY – The provinces of Capiz and Aklan are the most affected by the trough and shear line of Tropical Storm Paeng in Western Visayas (Region 6) based on the monitoring of the Emergency Operations Center of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC).
RDRRMC spokesperson Cindy Ferrer, citing the disaster response operations monitoring and information center (DROMIC) report of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), said that as of noontime of Friday, some 24,530 families in the region have been affected by the flooding, landslide or generally torrential rains brought by Paeng.
Capiz has the most affected families with 17,542; Aklan, 4,649; Iloilo, 869; Negros Occidental, 792; and Antique with 678.
Of the flood-hit families, 2,992 are staying in various evacuation centers.
Affected barangays in Aklan reached 26 while Capiz has 78, Antique has 15, Iloilo with six, and 14 in Negros Occidental.
Ferrer added that national roads along Altavas, Nabas, Kalibo, Numancia and Balete in Aklan and Cuartero, Dumalag, Sigma, Jamindan, Mambusao, and Tapaz in Capiz were not passable, especially for light vehicles due to flooding.
“Those are national roads and are only rerouted in alternative routes. But there are areas where they could not penetrate unless they ride a truck,” she added.
Landslide incidents were reported in Barangay Alaminos in Madalag, Capiz, and Torralba-Daguitan Boundary in Banga, Aklan.
As of 2 p.m., the state weather bureau raised tropical cyclone wind signal number 1 over the five provinces and two highly urbanized cities of Western Visayas.
“Now that we are under signal number 1 and we don’t know when it will be lifted, then(we) advise the public to refrain from traveling much as they wanted to go home in time for 'Undas' and it’s a long weekend,” she said.
The latest data from the Philippine Coast Guard showed that 1,0440 passengers and 353 rolling cargoes are stranded in various ports and piers in Iloilo and Negros Occidental as a result of trip cancellations.
The typhoon is expected to bring more rain on Saturday and is forecasted to slow down once it makes landfall on Sunday, Ferrer said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has already provided relief assistance to families affected by Paeng.
The department has provided 537 family food packs worth PHP279,007 to affected families in Capiz and Aklan, DSWD Regional Director Atty. Carmelo N. Nochete in a press statement.
DSWD has 51,581 family food packs available at the regional warehouse in Municipality of Oton in Iloilo, in Negros Occidental warehouse, and 28 prepositioning sites.
In Antique, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Broderick Train said in the town of Culasi alone, 11 coastal barangays have already conducted evacuation for 413 families displaced due to flooding since Thursday afternoon.
"Of the 413 families evacuated, there 65 families composed of 141 persons who are now inside the seven evacuation centers in Culasi," Train said.
He said that the other evacuated families have opted to stay with their relatives in safer places in their barangays.
"We are also still waiting for other LGUs to report their evacuees so they could be given assistance," Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) Social Worker Jason Alagos said.
As a precautionary measure, all schools in the province have canceled classes but teachers were instructed to secure their learning materials. (PNA)
