Super Typhoon Pepito Forces Evacuation of Nearly Half a Million in Bicol.

Bicol: The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) 5 in Bicol reported that 491,047 individuals, or 137,726 families, have been evacuated as Super Typhoon Pepito continues to threaten the region.

According to Philippines News Agency, the evacuation involves communities across the six provinces of Bicol, with the numbers expected to rise as local government disaster response units provide updated reports.

In Albay, 107,031 families or 363,271 individuals have been moved to safety, while Camarines Norte has evacuated 884 families or 3,891 individuals. In Camarines Sur, 6,108 families or 20,648 individuals have sought shelter in evacuation centers. Catanduanes saw 2,969 families or 11,002 individuals evacuated, Masbate reported 1,670 families or 6,035 individuals, and Sorsogon evacuated 19,064 families or 86,200 individuals.

Sorsogon has implemented a province-wide curfew to ensure safety, with only emergency response and essential services permitted to operate. Salvador Mendoza, Sorsogon information officer, confirme
d the distribution of rice and hygiene kits to 14 municipalities and one city. Governor Edwin Boby Hamor has visited several Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices to assess readiness.

Additionally, the Philippine Coast Guard District Bicol has reported 1,957 passengers, 723 rolling cargoes, and two vessels stranded across various ports. The typhoon, with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph and gusts up to 230 kph, was last located 185 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar, moving west-northwestward at 25 kph.