'Auring' renders Puerto Princesa without electricity

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY -- Trees falling on power transmission posts due to strong winds brought by tropical storm "Auring" rendered this highly-urbanized city without power for more than two hours on Friday.

Palawan Electric Cooperative (Paleco) spokesperson Vicky Basilio said Puerto Princesa and several municipalities in the southern part of the province experienced the power loss shortly after midnight. Power was restored at 2:27 a.m. in some parts of the town proper.

Several outlying barangays in the north remained without electricity Basilio said.

In southern Palawan, the towns of Aborlan, Narra, Brooke’s Point, Sofronio Española, Quezon and Bataraza were experiencing intermittent power losses.

Basilio said power will only be fully restored when the strong winds and rains have stopped.

“All our clearing teams were dispensed in the north to repair power lines where trees have fallen,” she said.

In Brooke’s Point, resident Gina Quimat said that families have been evacuated to higher grounds in Barangay Mainit where river has swelled because of continued heavy rains.

Strong wind toppled the 15-foot Christmas tree in front of the Brooke’s Point Municipal Building on Thursday night.

Fallen trees which blocked the road were now cleared to allow smooth flow of traffic. (PNA)