DAMAGED. The old Kalibo Bridge is temporarily closed to traffic after it was damaged. A bridge parallel to it is being used as an alternative route, said Aklan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Galo I. Ibardolaza, in an interview on Saturday (Oct. 29, 2022). (Photo courtesy of Numancia Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office)
ILOILO CITY – The province of Aklan and the municipality of Tapaz in Capiz province are now under a state of calamity after the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.
Aklan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Galo Ibardolaza, in an interview on Saturday, said the declaration was done during a special session conducted by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Friday afternoon after the presentation of the typhoon damage in the province.
“Not all towns are flooded but due to rains the whole population of Aklan is affected. We are on duty 24/7 in the province and all the 17 municipalities in the province,” he said.
Based on the report of the Department of Public Works and Highways the approach of the old Kalibo bridge was damaged and has been barricaded and closed to traffic while their maintenance crew put an embankment on the affected portion.
A bridge parallel to the damaged one is being used as an alternative route, Ibardolaza said.
Meantime, he could not confirm the reported casualties since they have yet to get hold of the official report.
“We don’t have casualty reported on papers but we know there is a casualty. You know we could not report officially if there is no report from the concerned municipality,” he said.
He added that pre-emptive evacuation is being undertaken for residents living in low-lying areas in Kalibo and Numancia towns since the water level of the Aklan River has reached a critical level.
Evacuation is also ongoing in low-lying areas of barangays in municipalities situated along the river including Banga, Madalag, Libacao, and Malinao.
Since Thursday, he said they have been sheltering evacuees from Numancia and Kalibo at the ABL Sports Complex and the Kalibo evacuation center.
Data provided by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council through its Emergency Operations Center showed that 48 barangays in the province suffered various hazards brought by Paeng.
Also, 8,195 families or 26,194 persons are affected; 1,143 families are in various evacuation centers while others are staying with their relatives or opted to remain in their homes.
Meantime, the municipality of Tapaz has also declared a state of calamity through a resolution passed by its Sangguniang Bayan on Friday.
In the resolution, the legislative body said heavy rain has resulted in landslides and floods which greatly damaged agriculture while more than 20 percent of the barangays and over 15 percent of the population felt the impact of the weather disturbance.
“There is a need to extend basic services as well as financial support to the affected constituents in order that normalcy is achieved in the short span of time, enabling residents to continue in their usual day-to-day living,” the resolution said. (PNA)
