• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Tropical Depression Verbena forced more than 24,000 individuals to flee their homes and seek shelter in various evacuation centers in Negros Island on Tuesday.
An initial report of the Negros Occidental Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) showed 4,230 families, composed of 13,831 individuals evacuated while the City Social Welfare and Development Office reported that 2,563 families, comprising 8,375 persons, were affected by flooding in highly-urbanized Bacolod City.
In Negros Oriental, at least 2,256 individuals also fled their homes, disaster officials reported Tuesday.
Negros Occidental PDRRMO head Irene Bel Ploteña said that some of those staying in evacuation centers heeded the call of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson for pre-emptive evacuation.
The Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) reported that 538 passengers, 136 rolling cargoes, and 35 vessels were stranded in different ports.
Flooding also rendered roads and bridges impassable in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.
Food packs were distributed by the Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental provincial governments as well as Bacolod City government to those staying in evacuation centers.
Classes were suspended in 37 local government units and work suspension were monitored in eight local government units, according to OCD-NIR reports. | GB
