A TOTAL of 68,490 persons or 18,467 families were evacuated ahead of the onslaught of Typhoon Bising (Surigae) in Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Monday, April 19, 2021.

The council also said 22 barangays in Eastern Visayas were flooded while two road sections and a bridge were rendered impassable. Several areas were also closed in anticipation of the possible landslides.

Various areas in the provinces of Cebu, Leyte, Southern Leyte and Eastern Samar experienced power interruption.

A total of 2,213 passengers, 896 rolling cargoes and 61 vessels remained stranded in various ports while flights to and from the Tacloban Airport were cancelled.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) had set aside funds and relief items worth P1.597 billion for assistance to the affected population.

At 10 a.m. Monday, Bising was spotted 235 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes. It had weakened, with winds down to 195 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of 240 kph.

Weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said it was slowly moving north northwestward.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal no. 2 is still up over Catanduanes, eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Garchitorena, Presentacion, Caramoan, Sagnay, San Jose, Lagonoy), eastern portion of Albay (Tiwi, Malinao, Tabaco City, Malilipot, Santo Domingo, Bacacay, Rapu-Rapu, Legazpi City, Manito), eastern and central portions of Sorsogon (Castilla, Sorsogon City, Prieto Diaz, Gubat, Barcelona, Casiguran, Juban, Magallanes, Bulan, Bulusan, Irosin, Santa Magdalena, Matnog), northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Biliran.

TCWS no. 1 is hoisted over the southeastern portion of Cagayan (Baggao, Peñablanca), eastern portion of Isabela (San Pablo, Maconacon, Tumauini, Divilacan, Ilagan City, Palanan, San Mariano, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Echague, Benito Soliven, Cabagan, Gamu, Naguilian, Reina Mercedes, Angadanan, Cauayan City, Jones, San Agustin), northeastern portion of Quirino (Aglipay, Maddela), northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan), eastern portion of Quezon (Calauag, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Buenavista, San Narciso, San Andres) including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, rest of Camarines Sur, rest of Albay, rest of Sorsogon, Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands, Leyte, Southern Leyte, northern portion of Cebu (Tabogon, Borbon, San Remigio, Bogo City, Medellin, Daanbantayan) including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Dinagat Islands, Siargao Islands and Bucas Grande Islands.

The weather bureau said moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will be experienced over Bicol, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran and the northern portion of Leyte.

On Tuesday, moderate to heavy rains will be experienced over Bicol and Northern Samar. Light to moderate with at times heavy rains may prevail over the northern portion of Aurora and the eastern portions of mainland Cagayan and Isabela. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)