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Sunday, December 28, 2003
Glo orders evacuation in landslide prone areas
MANILA -- President Arroyo ordered on Saturday a massive evacuation of residents in areas prone to landslides, particularly those in the path of tropical depression "Zigzag," which is now moving towards the Samar-Leyte area.
The President directed all local government executives in the affected areas to implement the evacuation of residents, particularly those in sloped or low-lying areas.
Tropical storm Zigzag, with strongest sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center, was forecast to be 320 kilometers east of Catanduanes Island early Saturday.
Zigzag, at 10 a.m. Saturday, was plotted at 110 kilometers northeast of Borongan, Samar with strongest sustained winds of only 55 kilometer per hour near the center. It is expected to be in the vicinity of Mactan, Cebu Sunday morning.
Arroyo identified the areas in the path of the typhoon as the southern tip of Samar, two thirds of Leyte, whole of Bohol, two-thirds of Cebu and Negros, and some areas in Mindanao, including Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, the Misamis provinces, and Lanao provinces.
Evacuation centers have been set up and relief goods have been pre-positioned as the government braced for the worst that tropical depression Zigzag could bring to affected areas in the Visayas and Mindanao.
"We have gotten in touch with local government executives and Regional Disaster Coordinating Council chairmen precisely to instruct and advise them of the evacuation," the President said.
Arroyo had talked to Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat, Gov. Imelda Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte and Gov. Mamintal Adiong of Lanao del Sur.
"Zigzag" is expected to hit Lanao and Zamboanga City Sunday evening.
"That is the trajectory. We'll keep updating the trajectory as winds change and 'Zigzag' moves every hour," Arroyo said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), headed by Secretary Corazon Soliman, said they have already pre-positioned the relief goods for possible evacuees in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).
Soliman herself will leave for Negros island on Sunday afternoon to direct the operations for the Visayas.
Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Director General Renato Velasco said PIA regional offices in Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Bacolod, Surigao, Agusan, and Zamboanga aired to the people the call of the President to conduct preventive evacuation so as to avoid a repeat of the tragedy that befell Southern Leyte and the Caraga region and her wish for a zero casualty count.
Arroyo issued the order in the wake of the recent tragedy in Southern Leyte and the Caraga region, which claimed more than a hundred lives.
"Let us aim for a zero casualty count," she said during an emergency meeting of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) held Saturday afternoon at the Aguinaldo Room of Malacaņang.
"Let's learn our lesson in disaster management and let's face this challenges with fortitude and resilience," she said.
Despite "Zigzag's" relatively weak strength, President Arroyo is not taking any chances.
"It's better to err on the side of prudence. It's better for us to be over prepared than under prepared," Arroyo said.
She said it doesn't need a strong typhoon to loosen the soil of the affected areas as continuous rains have already battered the soil.
"That is why, we really need to do something fast now, not tomorrow, not the day after," she told NDCC members.
Arroyo also ordered the setting up of a command center at the Malacaņang Guest House.
The command center is set to coordinate efforts until after the threat has passed and will issue hourly bulletins.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary and NDCC chairman Eduardo Ermita reported that 425 barangays, 555 municipalities in five cities and nine provinces in six regions were affected by landslides that killed 198 people. He placed the damage to agriculture and infrastructure at P329.427 million.
Stranded passengers
In the ports of Bicol, Albay and Sorsogon close to 6,000 passengers were stranded and are temporarily housed in warehouses at the port area.
Local government units of Catanduanes have provided food assistance to the stranded passengers, a television report said Saturday.
Records at the Philippine Coastguard showed that passengers were stranded in Tobacco City, Virac, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Pilar, Matnog, and Masbate.
The Philippine Coastguard grounded all vehicles plying these routes following tropical depression Zigzag.
(December 28, 2003 issue)
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