‘Bising’ causes floods, landslides in Bicol
By Rhaydz B. Barcia
Sporadic landslides and flooding occurred in four Bicol provinces as Typhoon “Bising” dumped moderate to torrential rain since Sunday (Apr. 18) till Monday (Apr. 19).
Typhoon Bising passed near Bicol region specifically Albay and Catanduanes provinces five months after three consecutive strong typhoons battered the region last year.
The provinces of Catanduanes, Albay, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon suffered the strong winds and heavy rain brought by Typhoon Bising, the first typhoon that affected Bicol this year.
In Albay, a private vehicle was swept by rampaging flood from the foot of Mount Mayon after the detour road at Barangay Budiao in Daraga town was engulfed by cascading water containing volcanic debris.
Luckily the passengers of the pick-up car were saved from possible harm due to the speedy action of Daraga police led by its chief, Lt. Col. Ronnie M. Fabia.
Fabia and his men used heavy equipment to lift the stranded vehicle along the flooded Budiao and Banadero detour road.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) deployed its personnel across the region to assist local government units (LGUs) in the evacuation of residents near the coastal and low-lying areas.
PNP Bicol chief BGen. Bartolome R. Bustamante ordered all provincial police offices to deploy vehicles and augmentation forces for disaster response measures.
Bustamente activated the disaster response teams to facilitate continuous disaster response measures along with the local disaster bodies to immediately respond to the public in times of calamity.
The state weather bureau, PAGASA, placed under Signal No. 2 the coastal areas in Albay’s 1st District such as Tiwi, Malinao, Tabaco, Malilipot, Bacacay, Sto. Domingo including the island town of Rapu-Rapu, Manito, and Legazpi City.
There were no casualties and damages reported in Albay as of press time according to Cedric Daep, chief of Albay Public Safety Emergency Management Office (APSEMO). He said some 16, 824 families or 59, 656 individuals were displaced by “Bising”, 17, 574 of whom were from Malinao, 9,562 from Tiwi and 8,383 from Camalig.
In Catanduanes, the road from Virac to Bato towns and vice versa were temporarily closed due to falling debris and rocks caused by heavy rains brought by Typhoon “Bising”.
Flooding and sporadic landslides were also reported in several towns of Catanduanes.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) Emergency Operation Center (EOC) of Catanduanes reported 15, 852 families or 57, 793 individuals displaced from 11 towns.
In Camarines Sur, some 835 families or 3,251 persons and 75 families or 369 persons in Sorsogon were evacuated to safety.
As of 1:00PM on Monday, Apr. 19, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)Bicol reported a total of 29, 388 families or 109,815 persons displaced by the typhoon.
Out of these, 27,211 families or 101,427 took shelter in various evacuation centers, while 2,177 families or 8388 persons evacuated in other areas.
Some 959 persons, three passenger buses, 227 trucks, 94 light vehicles, and seven sea vessels were also stranded in the different seaports across the region.
Due to Typhoon “Bising”, four Bicol governors, Al Francis Bichara (Albay, Chiz Escudero (Sorsogon), Joseph Cua (Catanduanes), and Migz Villafuerte (Camarines Sur) ordered the suspension of work in public offices on Monday, Apr. 19 for people’s safety.