NEGROS Occidental is spared by Tropical Depression Samuel after its trajectory change on Wednesday, November 21.

The alert status of the province was downgraded from red alert to blue alert by Acting Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.

Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Division (PDRRMD), said that Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) Number 1 over Negros Occidental has been lifted since Wednesday, November 21.

All sea travels have been back to normal, while classes all over the province will also resume on November 22.

Preemptive evacuations were reported in E.B. Magalona and Victorias City.

Based on the report of the PDRRMD, a total of 120 families or at least 269 individuals were evacuated in Victorias City (23 families/71 individuals), Bago City (50 families/198 individuals), and Silay City (47 families).

The affected areas in Silay City were Barangay 2 and Rizal.

In Bago City, the affected persons stayed in Barangay Poblacion hall.

Caelian said Samuel made several landfalls but it spared San Carlos City and the rest of the local government units in Negros Occidental. Moderate rains started around 2 a.m. Wednesday, November 21.

Despite the downgrading of alert status to blue alert, Caelian said preparedness is still on in flood-prone areas and landslide-prone areas.

Bacolod City Executive Assistant Jose Maria Vargas, cluster head on Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO), said they are now back to normal status after Samuel left the province Wednesday morning, November 21.

“We are now on normal status, but we still continue the monitoring and the classes will also resume,” he said.

He added that as of Wednesday morning, there were no reported floods and evacuation in Bacolod.

Vargas noted that on Tuesday, November 20, the DRRMO was on the red alert status.

Department of Social Services Department prepared the relief goods and other emergencies materials for the possible effects of Samuel.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia earlier issued an executive order suspending the classes in all levels in the city. (With Erwin P. Nicavera)