ILOILO City – The southwest monsoon enhanced by typhoon “Ompong” displaced 356 families from 14 barangays in the provinces of Antique, Guimaras and Negros Occidental.
These families consisted of 1,151 individuals, according to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDDRMC) as of 3 p.m. yesterday.
They evacuated on Sept. 13 as a pre-emptive measure against landslides, storm surges or flooding.
With “Ompong” moving away from the Philippines, fair weather is expected this week, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration yesterday. The families are expected to return to their respective houses.
Of the 356 families, 205 families (526 individuals) were from Antique; 45 families (160 individuals) from Guimaras; and 106 families (465 individuals) from Negros Occidental.
SEA TRIPS RESUME
The operation of seagoing vessels resumed yesterday except those in Antique, said local Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Lieutenant Commander Ramil Palabrica.
Strong waves and gale forced the PCG to cancel boat trips from here to Guimaras, Bacolod City and Negros Island and vice versa on Saturday.
“All sea trips are back to normal except those in the province of Antique,” said Palabrica yesterday.
On Saturday over 200 people bound for Buenavista, Guimaras got stuck at the Parola wharf and 151 at the port of Dumangas, Iloilo.
Meanwhile, 65-year-old Carlos Malaga of Sitio Barosbos, Barangay Asluman, Gigantes Norte, Carles town remained missing as of yesterday.
Malaga, a fisherman, went missing on Friday, Sept. 14. He put out to sea despite the inclement weather.
Meanwhile, in Antique the local disaster DRRMC recorded a landslide in Barangay Lindero, Tobias Fornier town and Barangay Cabunga-an and Sitio Lanas, Barangay Bugo, San Remigio. No casualties were reported.
In Guimaras, a landslide occurred in Barangay Hoskyn, municipality of Jordan but without casual ties or damage to properties.
In Barangay Panobolon, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras, however, a small pump boat was destroyed.
In Negros Occidental, a house in Barangay Mailum, Bago City was totally damaged. A tree fell on it.
Still in Bago City, a house was partially damaged by strong winds in Barangay Caridad.
On the other hand, three fishermen from Barangay Patic, Pulupandan town were rescued. A landslide was also reported at EcoTranslink Road near KM 74.
In Iloilo province, 10 houses in the coastal barangays of Buyu-an, Namocon and Atabayan in Tigbauan town were damaged on Saturday by strong winds.
The displaced families temporarily stayed in the barangay halls of Buyu-an, Namocon and Atabayan./PN
