CAMP VICENTE LIM, Calamba City – In the aftermath of Typhoon Nina (Nock-ten) which flogged the Calabarzon region on Sunday until Monday, around 11,791 residents have to spend Christmas Day and overnight away from home.
As of 6 p.m., Typhoon Nina has already weakened and now packs 120 kilometers per hour (kph) maximum sustained winds near the center and gustiness of up to 180kph while moving West Northwest at 20 kilometers per hour, the state weather bureau said.
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) weather forecaster Robert Badrina said "Nina" is last seen 75 km southwest of Subic, Olangapo City and has made its 8th landfall in Lubang Island and moving towards the West Philippine Sea.
Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council chairperson and Office of the Civil Defense for Calabarzon Regional Director Vicente Tomazar said Quezon had the most number of evacuated persons at 9,997 or 2,028 families from 103 barangays now housed at 134 evacuation centers.
Tomazar said the affected Quezon towns include Tagkawayan, Quezon, Perez, Lopez, Guinayangan, Calauag, Atimonan, Alabat, San Narciso, San Francisco, San Andres, Padre Burgos, General Luna, Buenavista, Sariaya and Mauban.
Laguna came in next with 13 barangays affected by the typhoon which forced 116 families or 501 residents to be relocated to 12 evacuation centers as of 4 a.m. on Monday.
The affected towns in Laguna include San Pablo, Los Baños, Kalayaan, Calauan, Liliw, and Nagcarlan.
In an update report, the Philippine Army’s 202nd Brigade through the 1st Infantry Battalion Bravo Company which was tasked to deploy its disaster response troops, said Laguna evacuees reached 254 families or 1,069 residents as of 10 a.m. Monday.
Bravo Company Commander 1 Lieutenant Thrasymachus Bayona told PNA that their coordination with the Laguna Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office have assisted evacuations of some 64 families (273 persons) in the 2nd District.
Bayona said there are also 64 families (270 persons) assisted in the 3rd district and about 126 families (526 persons) in the 4th district.
The RDRRMC IVA also reported that so far, “Nina” affected six barangays in Batangas where 330 families (1,293 persons) were displaced and moved safely to six evacuation centers.
Affected cities are Lipa City, Calaca and Batangas City. (PNA/Sunnex)
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