Nearly 60K evacuated in Vismin
as ‘Odette’ brings Signal No. 4
NEARLY 60,000 individuals, more than 14,000 of them in Metro Cebu, were evacuated in the Visayas and Mindanao by mid-afternoon Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, as the Philippines braced for the entry of Typhoon Odette (Rai).
In Toledo City, Cebu, water was released from the Malubog Dam in anticipation of heavy rainfall to be brought by Odette, and power outages were experienced in the afternoon ahead of Odette’s arrival.
Odette intensified as it made landfall over Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
At 4:50 p.m. Thursday, the center of the eye of Typhoon Odette was located in the vicinity of Liloan, Southern Leyte, packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, with gustiness of up to 270 km/h.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Odette was expected to be in the vicinity of Cauayan, Negros Occidental by 2 a.m. and over the coastal waters of Dumaran, Palawan by 2 p.m. Friday.
In the Visayas, Southern Leyte, the southwestern portion of Leyte; Bohol; the central and southern portions of Cebu; and the central and southern portions of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4.
The northern portion of Cebu, the rest of the southern portion of Leyte, the rest of Negros Oriental, Siquijor, the northern portion of Negros Occidental, Guimaras, the southern portion of Iloilo, and the southern portion of Antique were placed under Signal No. 3.
Some barangays in Carcar City in southern Cebu experienced power interruptions past noon Thursday.
Maria Shara Fe Mansalay, a resident of Barangay Ibabao Perrelos, told SunStar Cebu that their power supply had been on and off since 1 p.m. Thursday amid strong winds brought by Typhoon Odette.
Barangays Guadalupe and Banawa in Cebu City in central Cebu also experienced a brownout at 5 p.m.
Evacuees
Over 45,300 individuals were preemptively evacuated in Eastern Visayas and Mindanao, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021.
The NDRRMC said a total of 17,165 persons or 4,615 families were displaced in Eastern Visayas and 28,218 people or 7,622 families in Caraga in Mindanao.
The agency earlier classified these regions as high risk, along with Mimaropa; Western, Central and Eastern Visayas; Northern Mindanao; and Soccsksargen.
In Cebu City, 6,383 individuals had been evacuated as of 2:30 p.m. Thursday, with some of them listed as being in Barangays Mambaling (1,600), Sambag 2 (840), Suba (678 individuals), Pasil (533), Sawang Calero (348), Pahina Central (250), Ermita (217), Basak Pardo (145), Sirao (74), Tabunan (36), Sapangdaku (24), Tisa (16), Pulangbato (14) and Guadalupe (8).
In Talisay City, at least 436 families, composed of 1,965 individuals, living in eight of Talisay City's 22 barangays were evacuated as a precautionary measure against Odette as of 3 p.m. Thursday, said officials of the Talisay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).
Majority of the evacuated residents were found living in riverside and coastal areas in Talisay City.
In addition, around 500 individuals living in coastal areas in Barangay Pooc, Talisay were evacuated.
In Lapu-Lapu City, as of 1:30 p.m. Thursday, the CDRRMO said at least 3,987 individuals or 1,102 families had been evacuated and brought to schools, Mini Hoops Domes, a barangay hall and a day care center in 15 areas: barangays Tungasan, Talima Kandagsao, San Vicente, Sabang, Pusok, Engaño, Baring, Tingo, Sta. Rosa, Talima, Caw-oy, Sabang, Punta Engaño, Pajo, Mactan and Caubian.
In Mandaue City, CDRRMO head Buddy Alain Ybañez said at least 500 families had been evacuated from low-lying areas in the city as of 3:52 p.m. Thursday.
Water release
Earlier in the day, residents of Barangays Buswang, Cambang-ug, and those living near the Hidlawan River in Toledo City were advised to be on alert for a possible rise in water since Carmen Copper Corp. would open the Tainter gates #1 and #2 of Malubog Dam by two inches to release water at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 16.
This was in preparation for the possible heavy rainfall to be brought by Typhoon Odette, the Toledo City Public Information Office said.
Local government officials also suspended work in various areas in Cebu.
Bantayan Mayor Arthur Despi announced the suspension of work in government offices, except for those rendering emergency services, in the Municipality of Bantayan in Bantayan Island, and classes in all private and public schools from noon of Thursday, Dec. 16, and on Dec. 17, due to the threat of Typhoon Odette.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia also suspended work in all offices of Provincial Capitol except for the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, Provincial Health Office, Provincial Engineering Office, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office and other essential offices from noon Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, and including Dec. 17 due to Odette.
The Christ The King Parish in Mandaue City announced the suspension of Misa de Gallo. In its Facebook page, the parish said it will resume the conduct of Misa de Gallo in its four venues on Saturday, Dec. 18.
Disaster response
Also on Thursday, as part of the exercise of its corporate social responsibility, the Walk and Talk Friendship Club made available to the government dump trucks owned by some of its members, led by newly installed club president Lester Razo and director Noli Caisip, for rescue and emergency use during Typhoon Odette.
“A total of 30 trucks are now deployed in the cities of Cebu and Talisay with many more units reserved for the province, if requested,” said SunStar Cebu columnist Frank Malilong Jr., a member of the club.
The Office of the Civil Defense and the Department of Social Welfare and Development said they have prepared P331 million worth of food and non-food items to assist the families to be affected by the weather disturbance.
Meantime, the NDRRMC said it has already recorded a rain-induced landslide incident in Caraga, while one road there was also reported not passable.
Power outages were also experienced in Liloan and Pintuyan, Southern Leyte. (CTL, JKV, CAL, MKG, MVG, TPM, IRT / SUNSTAR PHILIPPINES)