ANTIQUE – Around 185 families, or 452 individuals, across five municipalities in this province were affected by the inclement weather brought by the low pressure area (LPA) and southwest monsoon.
Preemptive evacuation of the aforementioned residents was ordered due to rising floods caused by continuous rains on Thursday, July 18.
Here is the breakdown of the affected families per barangay in five towns:
* Sibalom – Nagdayao (33 families or 84 individuals), Pis-anan (10 families or 27 individuals), Biga-a (three families or 10 individuals), Villahermosa (28 individuals), Catungan IV (40 families or 73 individuals), Pasong (two families or nine individuals), Iglanot (14 families or 44 individuals), Cabaruian (two families or 13 individuals), Catmon (two families or two individuals), and Sido (11 families or 46 individuals)
* Patnongon – Cabudipa (ongoing assessment), Poblacion (ongoing assessment), Magsaysay (three families or nine individuals), and Igbobon (14 families or 38 individuals)
* Belison – Poblacion (four families or 26 individuals) and Ipil (four families or 15 individuals)
* Tobias Fornier – Sitio Igcabagti, Barangay Abaca (34 families)
* Hamtic – Piapi 1 (two families or seven individuals).
As of 2 p.m. on Friday, July 19, several residents have returned to their homes as floodwaters subsided in some areas, according to Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) head Broderick Train.
Meanwhile, the PDRRMO confirmed that two individuals were dead after they were swept by floodwaters.
Train identified the casualties as Gerry Benedicto, 50, and Carmensita Dionato, 72, both residents of Barangay Lagdo, Sibalom town.
The two rushed to go home by trying to cross the creek but they were swept away by floods on Thursday afternoon.
“Basi mahina na gawa ang resistance sa paglaktod kay ang isa 72 years old na mo kag wara dya bay naga-untat ang uran kahapon asta magabi-i,” said Train.
Dionato’s body was found around 7:30 a.m. yesterday in Barangay Bongbongan 1 while Benedicto’s remains were found around 9:40 a.m. in Barangay Bongbongan 2, both in Sibalom.
On Thursday night, Train said they activated the Provincial Emergency Operations Center and placed it on “heightened alert” status to maintain close monitoring, intensified coordination and operational readiness to address the adverse effects of the weather disturbance in the province.
Also, all municipal/barangay disaster risk reduction and management councils (DRRMCS) concerned were directed to activate their respective Emergency Operations Center on the same status and conduct close monitoring of their respective AORs. The PDRRMO likewise disseminated warnings to heighten awareness of the public.
Train added that all M/BDRRMCs were advised to ensure that all precautionary measures are being undertaken especially on the conduct of necessary pre-emptive evacuation in high-risk areas including early evacuation of farm animal and livestock if the need arises especially in an imminent threat. Emergency response assets and resources were on operational ready for possible mobilization
As of this writing, the PDRRMO and MDRRMOs were continuously monitoring the weather condition, conducting on-site risk assessments in critical areas, and providing constant advisories and warning alerts to communities, particularly in landslide- and flashflood-prone areas./PN
