Preemptive evacuation credited for zero ‘Uwan’ casualty in Bicol provinces

By Keren Anne Bernadas and Bennie Recebido

LEGAZPI CITY --- Two days before Super Typhoon Uwan struck the Bicol region, Jelly Buendia and her family packed their belongings to evacuate from their home in the low-lying Barangay Matnog in Daraga, Albay province.

“Naghintay po kami ng anunsyo ng local government unit tsaka po kami nag-evacuate ng Sabado nang umaga (We waited for the LGU’s announcement and then we evacuated on Saturday morning),” she said.

On Monday morning, the Buendia family safely returned home from Daraga National High School, where they had taken shelter during the powerful typhoon.

The storm flooded their hometown, destroyed buildings and facilities, and toppled trees and power lines.

Regional Director Claudio Yucot of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol said that Buendia’s actions exemplified an effective community response to preemptive evacuation and other safety measures, which helped achieve zero casualties in the provinces of Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Camarines Sur, and Camarines Norte from Uwan’s impacts last weekend.

“I cannot overemphasize the importance of preemptive evacuation. Very minimal po ang ating casualty nitong Uwan because of this pre-emptive evacuation. Kung wala, grabe ang epekto lalong lalo na sa Catandaunes, dahil sa lakas ng bagyo,” he said.

(Our casualties during Uwan were minimal because of this proactive measure. Without it, the impact would have been severe, especially in Catanduanes, given the strength of the typhoon.)

In Sorsogon, Governor Edwin Hamor highlighted the significant role of the breakwater in Barangay Poblacion, Bacon District, in reducing the impact of strong waves during the peak of the Uwan weather event.

“The breakwater greatly helped decrease the direct force of the waves on the houses near the shore and along the coastal road. Without it, Poblacion in Bacon District would have been submerged,” Hamor stated.

This infrastructure, constructed as part of the province’s long-term disaster mitigation efforts, safeguarded coastal residents and prevented additional flooding in low-lying areas.

Another crucial factor contributing to Sorsogon’s record of zero casualties was the implementation of Provincial Ordinance 47-2019.

This ordinance permits the pruning or removal of trees and other vegetation that pose risks to houses, public buildings, and power transmission lines.

Yucot urged the people of Bicol to follow the instructions of authorities before any weather disturbances occur.

“Amin pong pinapaalala, sa kasagsagan po ng disaster ay hindi na po tayo magkaconduct ng anumang rescue. Pasensya na po pero kailangan po talaga ng pre-emptive evacuation. At huwag po muna tayong babalik hangga’t wala pang abiso mula sa awtoridad,” he told the Integrated State Media.

A casualty has been reported in Catanduanes. According to Yucot, the victim was a man in his 50s who drowned while trying to return home from an evacuation center in Barangay San Juan, San Miguel, to rescue his pigs.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) recently reported that a total of 1,325,020 Bicolanos, comprising 375,043 families, were affected by the impact of Typhoon Uwan.

Out of the 259,036 families that evacuated to 6,200 evacuation centers across the region, approximately 110,228 families remain within those centers as of this writing. (PIA Bicol)