ASEANEWS HEADLINE-TYPHOON “UWAN” | MANILA, Philippines: Over 1 million flee Uwan’s fury
Uwan kills 2; one million flee super typhoon | ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines — Over one million people have been preemptively evacuated due to possible devastation from Super Typhoon Uwan (international name Fung-wong), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said yesterday.Office of Civil Defense (OCD) deputy administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said 1,179,086 people were preemptively evacuated in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Region 4A), Mimaropa, Bicol (Region 5), Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas (Region 8) due to Uwan as of 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Most of the preemptive evacuations were in Region 5 (Bicol Region) where 671,254 people were evacuated, followed by Region 8 (259,145 people) and Region 4A (95,665 people).
A casualty due to drowning in the Bicol region was reported by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) yesterday, but the report is still being validated, according to Alejandro.
Defense Secretary and NDRRMC chair Gilberto Teodoro Jr. appealed to residents to evacuate, saying forced evacuations in high-risk areas may be implemented since many are refusing to comply with the order.
Teodoro warned that refusal to comply with a forced evacuation order is against the law, and could be considered disobedience to a person in authority.
In a joint advisory, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) said local governments should lead the efforts at forcibly evacuating residents, particularly those refusing the emergency removal from danger areas.
“The DILG and PNP remind all local government units and police personnel that saving lives is the top priority. During preemptive or forced evacuations, local officials must lead with both firmness and compassion,” the advisory said.
“If residents still refuse despite repeated warnings and imminent danger, LGUs and the PNP are authorized to enforce mandatory evacuation in accordance with Republic Act No. 10121 and the Local Government Code. Actions must be done peacefully, respectfully, and with proper documentation,” it said.
“Ensure that transportation, shelter, food, and medical aid are ready for evacuees, with priority for the elderly, children, and persons with disabilities,” the advisory added.
“The DILG and PNP call on all local leaders to act quickly and humanely. Protect every Filipino life. No one should be left behind,” it urged.
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‘At risk’ areas
The DILG said that there are up to 17,000 barangays tagged as “at risk” which need to take immediate precautionary measures.
“Now is the time to act. Every minute counts, and every barangay must be ready. We need swift, coordinated action to keep our people safe,” the DILG said on Saturday.
Coastal barangays are urged to suspend fishing and boating activities and move residents to higher ground, as storm surges of more than three meters are expected. Barangay DRRMCs are directed to lead local evacuations and monitor regular updates from Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
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Preemptive evacuation is strongly advised for those living in flood-prone, coastal, low-lying, and landslide-prone areas. Priority must be given to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and children. Residents in earthquake-affected zones should avoid sinkhole-prone areas as identified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau.
With the potential impact of Uwan, the Armed Forces of the Philippines augmented the disaster response capabilities of the Northern Luzon Command through the deployment of additional teams and assets from the Philippine Army, Navy and Air Force.
The additional disaster response contingents include search, rescue and retrieval teams, water search and rescue teams, engineering and medical units, and mobility assets – such as trucks and watercraft – ready for deployment in coordination with the OCD and NDRRMC.
The army, in coordination with the NDRRMC, deployed its Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response units, and prepositioned military trucks and communication equipment across Luzon.
1 dead in Samar
Super Typhoon Uwan continues to batter the Bicol region and surrounding areas, as it moves west-northwest over the coastal waters of Camarines Norte, with maximum sustained winds reaching 185 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 230 km/h, PAGASA reported yesterday.
Life-threatening conditions persist over northern Camarines Norte, northern and eastern Camarines Sur, northern Catanduanes, central Aurora, Polillo Islands, and portions of Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 5, the highest alert for typhoon-force winds.
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Areas under Signal No. 4 include southern Isabela, the rest of Quirino, rest of Nueva Vizcaya, southern Ifugao, Benguet, southern Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, northern Zambales, northeastern Tarlac, eastern Pampanga, eastern Bulacan, northern Rizal, northern and eastern Quezon, the rest of Camarines Norte and Sur, northeastern Albay and the remainder of Catanduanes.
Signal No. 3 covers southern mainland Cagayan, the rest of Isabela, central and southern Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, rest of Ifugao, southern Ilocos Norte, rest of Ilocos Sur, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, rest of Rizal, Laguna, rest of Quezon, Marinduque, rest of Albay, Sorsogon and Ticao and Burias Islands. In the Visayas, Northern Samar remains under Signal 3.
Signal No. 2 is in effect over the rest of Cagayan, Babuyan Islands, rest of Apayao, rest of Ilocos Norte, Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, including Lubang Islands, Romblon, rest of Masbate, eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran and northern and central Leyte. Areas under Signal No. 1 include Batanes, northern Palawan, Calamian, Cuyo and Cagayancillo Islands, the rest of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Siquijor, Guimaras, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, northern Agusan del Norte and northern Surigao del Sur.
Uwan has already caused one reported fatality in Catbalogan City, Samar, according to the provincial DRRMC, where a 64-year-old woman died after a makeshift wooden bridge she was on collapsed. The woman reportedly tried to return home during ongoing evacuations on Friday. According to the agency, six barangays in the city experienced flooding, with waters ranging from knee-deep to waist-deep, forcing 3,912 people to take shelter in evacuation centers.
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Power disruptions have also been reported across Luzon and the Visayas, with 14 transmission lines rendered inoperable.
Nine lines in Luzon serve Albay, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, and the surrounding areas, while five lines in the Visayas connect Palanas, Calbayog, Babatngon and Paranas.
In another development, the Department of Public Works and Highways has placed its disaster teams on nationwide standby, deploy ing 9,405 personnel and 1,603 units of equipment – includ ing heavy gear for clearing and emergency repair – in anticipation of Super Typhoon Uwan, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said yesterday.
Preparations
In Aurora, police have placed the province under red alert as local authorities intensify preparations ahead of Uwan’s expected landfall.
Aurora Provincial DRRM officer Amado Egargue, said the provincial government has prepositioned over P1.9 million worth of Health Emergency Commodities across municipalities and hospitals to ensure readiness for potential health crises.
Egargue said all towns in the province are on heightened alert, and local governments are conducting preemptive evacuations, prepositioning relief goods and ensuring the safety of residents in low-lying and coastal areas.
The Aurora Coast Guard Station also issued a temporary suspension of all sea travel for all types of vessels.
In Laguna, more than 8,000 families sheltered in different evacuation centers in Santa Cruz, Gov. Sol Aragones said.
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As of yesterday, a total of 103,917 people have been evacuated from areas identified as high-risk and prone to flash floods and landslides. In Mimaropa, More than 8,500 people have been evacuated throughout Romblon, according to the PDRRMO.
Meanwhile, the Romblon PDRRMO said up to 311 passengers are stranded in the towns of Magdiwang and Romblon due to the cancellation of boat trips.
Around 2,500 residents in Lubang town were evacuated in Occidental Mindoro.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has placed all of its units in Palawan under heightened alert.
Residents in Oriental Mindoro are urged to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel, while Marinduque remains on red alert amidst heavy rains and strong winds.
A total of 1,473 personnel from the Police Provincial Offices and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion were deployed ahead of the typhoon’s landfall.
Quezon province has evacuated 75,325 people yesterday, according to the PDRRMO headed by Melchor Avenilla Jr.
Sea travel across Quezon has been suspended as a precaution against rough seas and strong winds.
Meanwhile, the Civil Avia tion Authority of the Philip pines announced the tem porary closure of Cauayan Airport, Baguio Airport (until 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 10) and Sangley Airport (until 6 p.m. on Nov. 10). — Christine Boton, Rainier Allan Ronda, Ric Sapnu, Ed Amoroso, Michelle Zoleta, Roel Pareño, Gilbert Bayoran, Evelyn Macairan, Rudy Santos
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