A TOTAL of 1,064 families equivalent to 4,207 persons in Bicol Region evacuated their homes Sunday, December 25, as typhoon Nina continued to intensify and further increased its threat to the entire region, an official said.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Bicol Regional Director Arnel Garcia said these families are currently occupying six evacuation centers with sound structures to safely accommodate the evacuees.
The families were identified to be living in high-risk areas who heeded the pre-emptive evacuation.
As of 9:30 a.m., under the DSWD-Bicol Region disaster operation monitoring, residents of the eight barangays in three local government units, namely, Guinobatan town in Albay and the towns of Buhi and Garchitorena in Camarines Sur, are being served in the said evacuation centers.
In line with this, the provinces of Catanduanes and Albay were declared under “state of imminent danger/disaster” as typhoon Nina approaches the provinces.
The purpose of the declaration through resolutions is to prepare for the next logical step, which is the declaration of a State of Calamity.
This will give the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) greater access to funds that may be needed as the provincial government responds to the needs of its people.
A total of 4,303 stranded passengers (Tabaco Port-634, Pioduran Port-247, Pasacao-240, San Andres-12, Virac-7, Masbate-74, Bulan-15, Matnog-2,549, Pila-525) were provided with hot meals.
The hot meals were provided from the prepositioned goods in anticipation of the possible impact of “Nina,” which is expected to make a landfall on Sunday night.
Meanwhile, in the midst of all the preparation for the disaster operations, DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo in her Christmas message called on to the people to unite in providing any needed speedy assistance and compassionate service to fellowmen that can be affected by any natural or man-made calamities in order to build a country with freedoms, prosperity, and peace for all including the vulnerable sectors of society. (PNA/Sunnex)