AN INITIAL 178 individuals in Abra, Benguet and the Mountain Province were taken to safety as Tropical Storm “Jolina” passed through the region over the weekend.
In the municipality of Bucay in Abra, 24 families totaling 69 individuals were brought to the Barangay San Miguel Evacuation Center while in Licuan-Baay, 18 families with 57 individuals evacuated at Barangay Lenneng and Barangay Poblacion and in Pilar town, six families took refuge with their relatives.
Meanwhile, seven families totaling to 28 individuals were evacuated at the municipal hall of Kibungan in Benguet.
In Mountain Province, five families were evacuated in Tadian town and took refuge with their relatives as the storm passed.
Classes over the weekend were likewise suspended in Baguio and Benguet with Saint Louis University, the University of Baguio, University of the Philippines Baguio, King’s College and the Cordillera Career Development College in a bid to keep students indoors.
On Saturday, the Acop-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun Road; the Banaue-Mayoyao-Alfonso Lista-Isabela Boundary Road both due to clearing operations, and the Tabuk-Banaue Road due to a slide and road collapse, were closed to traffic.
The Office of the Civil Defense in the Cordillera reported the Tabuk- Banaue section is fully aggravated due to continuous heavy rains and recommended motorist to look for safer routes.
Kennon road remains open but motorists are advised to take the Marcos Highway or the Naguilian road for safety purposes.
The entire Cordillera braced for the onslaught of typhoon Jolina with the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council Emergency Operations Center raising its alert level status to red.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources also suspended hiking, trekking, caving in Mt. Pulag, Mt. Purgatory in Benguet, and Sagada in Mountain Province are due to threats of Jolina.
Flood prone areas of the City Camp Lagoon, Quarry and Lourdes and Baguio City were monitored by both the barangay and city rescue teams. (Maria Elena Catajan)