The heavy to intense rainfall due to the southwest monsoon and enhanced by Tropical Storm Bebinca prompted the preemptive evacuation of 545 families and the suspension of classes in Antique, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported on Friday.
PDRRM Officer Broderick Train said in an interview that the 18 local government units (LGUs) in the province started the preemptive evacuation Thursday afternoon.
‘The LGUs are now taking care of the evacuees, with the provincial government also going to provide augmentation,’ Train said.
The suspension of classes was also announced as early as Thursday afternoon.
The LGUs that suspended classes in all levels are Bugasong, Belison, Tobias Fornier, Laua-an, Pandan, Sebaste, Patnongon, Barbaza, Valderrama and San Remigio.
Hamtic, Sibalom, Culasi, Anini-y, Tibiao, Libertad, San Jose de Buenavista, and Caluya announced the suspension of classes from pre-school to secondary level.
‘A landslide occurred in Barangay Igbarawan, Patnon
gon last (Thursday) night, but the road is still passable because only half of the lane had been affected,’ Train said, adding that the Antique Engineering District is currently conducting clearing operations.
In Sibalom, Mayor Gian Carlo Occeña said they preemptively evacuated 100 families from Barangays Catungan II, Catungan IV, and Pis-anan on Thursday evening, affected by flooding due to the rise of the water level at the Sibalom River and Tipuluan River.
‘The LGU is providing food packs for those who had been evacuated and are temporarily staying in our evacuation centers,’ he said.
The PDRRMO advised the public to be on alert with the anticipated inclement weather to persist until Sept. 15.
Source: Philippines News agency