TACLOBAN CITY, (PNA) — The city government here on Wednesday said it will implement the preemptive evacuation of some 1,000 residents living in flood and landslide prone areas in preparation for the expected landfall tropical storm ‘Yolanda’ in Eastern Visayas this Friday.
Upon instructions from Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) convened Wednesday morning and set up a command center to organize contingency efforts for the impending “super typhoon.”
Isabelo Lagutan, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) Officer-in Charge, said that a preemptive forced evacuation of residents living in coastal, landslide and flood prone Barangays in the City, namely Payapay, Baybay, Costa Brava, Cataisan, Esperas Avenue, Pampango, Anibong and Nulatutula, Palanog, San Roque and Upper Nula Tula will be done from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Wednesday.
Lagutan said 25 composed of personnel from the City General Services office, the Traffic Operations Management Enforcement and Control Office (TOMECO) and other volunteer teams will enforce the preemptive evacuation and convey residents to the Astrodome.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) will take charge provisions for the evacuated residents.
On the other hand, the City’s Fisheries Law Enforcement Team (FLET) will patrol the city’s coastal areas to prevent fishermen from venturing into the open sea.
The CDRRMO strongly advised City residents to brace for the incoming strong typhoon and heed the advice of authorities to prevent injuries and casualties. It likewise suggested the suspension of classes Thursday but said the decision to suspend classes is up to the school heads.
City Information Officer Bernardita B. Valenzuela clarified that the preemptive forced evacuation of residents along precarious banks and overflowing waterways and perennial flood-prone barangays is pursuant to City ordinance number 2013- 12-02, enacted last September 14, 2013.
Valenzuela said the ordinance states that the city government will not be liable for the safety of residents who will not heed its forced evacuation efforts.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), ‘Yolanda’ is expected to enter the Philippine Area Of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday morning.