PILI, Camarines Sur (PIA) – To ensure the safety of students and those residing in far flung and flood-prone areas , Governor Luigi Villafuerte issued a memorandum addressed to all Mayors, LDRRMC Chairpersons, Punong Barangays, BDRRMC Chairpersons and school heads of both public and private schools to suspend classes in all levels today, Jan. 5.
LGUs Sipocot, Libmanan and Magarao issued a localized suspension of classes and work since yesterday, Jan.4 after the sudden rise of water level which has affected spillways and several road networks.
Forty-families were forced to temporarily leave their homes after occasional heavy rains flooded Camarines Sur’s low-lying areas, two days after the New Year celebration. The municipalities of Calabanga and Tinambac, both classified as coastal areas, have the most number of evacuees as of press time.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council thru its Secretariat headed by Luzena N. Bermeo, said that 36 families (112 individuals) from Brgy. Camuning in Calabanga took shelter from Camuning Elementary School while four (4) families (16 individuals) from Brgy Bagacay, Tinambac town, stayed at the RDC Building and Bagacay Barangay Hall.
Earlier today, eight (8) barangays from the municipalities of Lupi and Magarao also reported flooding incidents which has affected motorists and commuters.
Mansalaya-kinalangan, Del Gallego spillway. (Photo credits: PDRRMC/ EDMERO/ MDRRMO-Del Gallego)
Libmanan also experienced flooding in Zones 4 and 6 of Taban, Fundado; Zone 3 – Malbogon; Zone 6 and 7-Inalahan; and Zone 3 and 6 in Poblacion. Eleven (11) families were brought to the Malbogon Evacuation Center due to the rise of water level as per the report submitted by the MDRRMO of the said town.
To ensure the safety of the community the MDRRMC Chairperson Hon. Norman Eugene B. Severo has ordered the Preemptive Evacuation today January 04, 2023 in Sitio Buri-Barangay Camuning- landslide prone area due to the continuing inclement weather conditions: MDRRMO _Calabanga/PDRRMC CamSur
MDRRMO Del Gallego said that while there is no reported flooding in its barangays, the Mansalaya-Kinalangan spillway was not passable to any types of vehicle thereby affecting the residents of Barangays Mansalaya, Sta. Rita 1, Sta. Rita 2, Tabion and Bagong Silang.
The Pugay spillway in Baao, Camarines Sur is also not passable as per the MDRRMO Baao update this morning, Jan,5, Thursday. Some barangays in the lake town of Buhi were also swamped with flood water, particularly several Zones in Brgy. San Buenaventura : Zones 1 (Apawang), Zone 1 (Seminlong), Zones 2 to 37, Zones 3 to 8 and Zones 5 to 25.
Bermeo, who is also the Chief of the Environment, Disaster Management and Emergency Response Office (EDMERO) assured the public that all local DRRMOs are on 24/7 operations as the province retained its Red Alert declaration since Dec. 18.
“The PDRRMC maintained its Red Alert status since 18 December 2022, in anticipation of situations and incidents resulting from Northeast Monsoon and Christmas and New year celebration. We have also activated the Provincial Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Monitoring Infolink, intended for the monitoring of Shearline Affecting Southern Luzon Oplan Iwas Paputok and Traffic Management,” Bermeo added.
The Council also continue to monitor weather forecasts issued by PAG ASA and related weather bulletins and cascade it down to the public via SMS, its official facebook page and other info links. (With reports from PDRRMC CamSur-PIA5/Camarines Sur)
