Preemptive evac due to ‘Betty’ affects more than 1,000 families

THE preemptive evacuation for Super Typhoon Betty has affected 1,015 families in Negros Occidental.

In Hinoba-an, authorities evacuated a total of 793 families from Barangays Sangke, Bacuyangan, Bulwangan, Asia, Alim, Pook, I Poblacion, and Talacagay.

In Sipalay City, 67 families were also evacuated preemptively after the southern part of the province started to experience rains.

Based on information released by the Sipalay City government, the affected families were from the villages of Gil Montilla and Manlucahoc.

Tents have been set up by the local City Social Welfare Development Office inside the evacuation centers to provide the families some privacy, while food packs have also been distributed.

In E.B. Magalona, 19 families in one village were also evacuated.

As part of the town's preparations, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) conducted an information campaign in all 23 barangays, reminding them of the dangers of the typhoon such as storm surges, floods, and landslides.

The MDRRMO, along with the Municipal Engineer's Office and General Services Office, also conducted the clearing and declogging of all waterways on Saturday, May 27.

The evacuees were able to return to their respective families.

As of Sunday morning, May 28, "Betty" was last spotted 815 kilometers east of Northern Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts at 215 kph.

There are no tropical cyclone wind signals for the Visayas, although the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration warned that the "Betty" is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon or "habagat" in the western portion of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.*