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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Betty, habagat' double whammy: 4.5K people affected, several houses destroyed

'Betty, habagat' double whammy: 4.5K people affected, several houses destroyed

Published May 29, 2023 09:25 am
Around 4,500 residents in Western Visayas (Region 6) and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) were affected while at least four houses were destroyed by strong rains and winds brought by typhoon “Betty” and the enhanced effects of southwest monsoon (habagat), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) disclosed Monday, May 29.

*(File photo)

* The NDRRMC said in a situational report that 1,170 families or 4,552 individuals were affected in the municipalities of Hinoba-an, Pontevedra, and Sipalay in Negros Occidental; Patnongon, Antique; and Conner, Apayao. Out of the number, 947 families or 3,692 individuals were staying in 22 evacuation centers. Diego Agustin Mariano, head of the Office of Civil Defense’s (OCD) joint information center, said they also received information that four houses in Brgy. Buhangin, Baler, Aurora were destroyed. Accordingly, the houses were swept away by the huge waves that hit the coastal community before Monday midnight. Fortunately, there were no residents hurt in the area since they were evacuated by the local government. “Betty will not make a landfall here so its effects may not be as devastating as what was experienced in Guam. It will only come close but it will recurve back to the Pacific Ocean. What we are guarding now is the effects of habagat,” Mariano said. “We remind our regional drrm offices to not be complacent even if there are no rains in their area. Let us be vigilant and cooperate with the ongoing precautionary measures,” he added. Betty was last located at 470 km east of Aparri, Cagayan or 475 km east of Calayan, Cagayan as of 11 a.m.

'Cagayan is ready'

 The effects of Betty have already been felt by Cagayanons on Sunday night, according to its local disaster risk reduction and management office. “May makulimlim na kalangitan ngayon pero kagabi ay naramdaman po namin ang sobrang lakas ng pagbugso ng ulan at hangin (The skies are dark now but last night, we felt the strong rains and gusts of wind),” Marion Miranda, head of the municipal DRRM office in Sta. Ana, Cagayan, said in a radio interview with dzBB. However, the local disaster chief said that they were already prepared in case Betty dumps more rains that would warrant a forced evacuation. Family food packs were also prepositioned in their warehouse and ready to be distributed to the evacuees.

Batanes' prayers

 In Itbayat, Batanes, fishing boats were brought to safety and fishing activities were already banned to ensure no resident will be caught in bad weather. “Maaraw pa rin po dito pero malakas na po ang hangin (It is still sunny here but the wind is already strong),” said Nilda Garcia, head of the municipal DRRM office of Itbayat.  “Ang mga fishing boats ay dinala na sa mataas na lugar. May mga prepositioned food packs na in place, ‘yung pagtali ng mga bahay ay ongoing (The fishing boats were brought to higher ground. There are prepositioned food packs in place, and the tying of the houses are ongoing),” she added. There's one tourist in Itbayat that got stranded due to Betty but Garcia said the visitor would be given food packs by the local government until the bad weather is over.  “Nagdadasal kami na sana hindi na kami maano. Maano na sana sa ibang lugar ‘yun bang bagyo. Pero kung sakali, handa na ang mga tao. Sana panatilihin ng mga tao dito is getting zero casualty (We are praying that we could be [spared] by the typhoon. I pray that the typhoon goes elsewhere. But in case, our people are ready. I hope that we could get zero casualty),” Garcia stated.
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