- GILBERT BAYORAN
About 144 families, composed of 719 individuals, evacuated from their homes in various areas in Negros Occidental due to heavy rains and floods brought by Tropical Storm Paeng.
The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office report showed that, as of Oct. 27, those affected were 102 families in San Carlos City, 20 families in Calatrava, 20 families in Sipalay City, and two families in Moises Padilla.
Classes are still suspended until Oct. 28 in the highly-urbanized Bacolod City, as well as in Victorias, La Castellana, and Hinoba-an. The city governments of La Carlota and Sipalay said Thursday that classes will resume in their areas Friday.
The other LGUs that suspended classes in all levels Oct. 27 were San Carlos, Bago, Talisay, Silay, EB Magalona, Calatrava, Don Salvador Benedicto, Murcia, Toboso, Valladolid, Moises Padilla, and Pontevedra.
In Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, the Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion and 32nd Civil Military Operations Company personnel, who assisted the LGU in evacuation efforts, reported that 375 families, composed of 2,209 persons, were also affected by flashfloods. Suspension of classes remains in effect yesterday.
Each family received sleeping and first aid kits, as well as food packs from the Guihulngan City Social Welfare and Development Office.
Meanwhile, Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian, Provincial Disaster Management Program Division chief of Negros Occidental, said the DRRMOs will continue to monitor the weather situation as Paeng intensified into a tropical storm.
In an advisory, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said that although Negros Occidental is not directly affected by the weather disturbance, Negrenses should remain alert for isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms.
Those living near riverbanks were also advised to transfer to safer areas./GB
