Tropical Depression (TD) Verbena forced 2,256 individuals from their homes in Negros Oriental, disaster officials reported Nov. 25.
Preemptive evacuations began Monday as the storm crossed the Visayas, according to Adrian Sedillo, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
“The numbers could still rise as we await situation reports from the different local government units today,” Sedillo said in a Philippine News Agency report.
Flooding rendered roads and bridges impassable in several areas, including Canlaon City, where one person remained missing in La Libertad due to an overflowing river.
Governor Manuel Sagarbarria suspended classes and government work while the Coast Guard cancelled all sea travel.
Lt. Marionne Abigail Enopia reported 151 stranded passengers at ports in Sibulan and Amlan towns.
The Coast Guard in the province allowed the resumption of trips yesterday afternoon after Signal 1 hoisted over Negros Oriental was lifted, as of the 2 p.m. weather bulletin. But it cautioned all vessel operators to continue exercising extreme caution and to monitor further weather updates and maritime safety advisories.
As of the 11 p.m. weather bulletin, “Verbena” was estimated based on all available data over the coastal waters of Linapacan, Palawan, with maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 105 km/h, and central pressure of 994 hPa.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal 2 was in effect over Calamian Islands and extreme northern portion of mainland Palawan, while TCWS 1 has been hoisted over Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, the southern portion of Romblon, and the northern and central portions of Palawan, including Cuyo and Cagayancillo Islands in Luzon, as well as Antique and the northwestern portion of Aklan in the Visayas. ||
