By Lilian Mellejor/PNA
DAVAO CITY –- Tropical depression “Chedeng” has forced almost 1,000 families or over 4,000 individuals from 19 barangays in Davao Region to evacuate to safer places on Monday evening.
“Chedeng” also damaged the Nasipit Bridge in Barangay Central, Tarragona, Davao Oriental which remains not passable to all types of vehicles due to scouring, making the bridge unstable and unsafe, according to the Office of Civil Defense in Region 11 (OCD-11).
OCD-11 Director Luis Ochotorena, chairperson of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC-11), said Davao Oriental and Davao Occidental provinces have the most number of affected families during Monday’s preemptive evacuation.
Some 543 families or 2,314 individuals from 10 barangays in the Davao Oriental town of San Isidro were affected, Ochotorena said.
In Davao Occidental where Chedeng made landfall at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, he said the storm affected 430 families or 1,675 individuals from eight barangays in Malita municipality.
The Davao Occidental Disaster Risk Reduction Office (PDRRMP) warned residents of possible flashfloods and landslide in five areas.
OCD information officer Leslie Francisco said power outages also hit Boston municipality in Davao Oriental and some areas of Pantukan in Compostela Valley. Power outages were also reported in Caraga, Manay, and Tarragona towns in Davao Oriental.
Francisco said the rain was a big help to the farmers in Davao del Sur that have been affected by the El Nño. However, she made it clear that residents are still advised to take precautions for possible flooding.
Karen Lou Deloso, Davao Oriental provincial information officer, said local officials are monitoring the swelling rivers of Tagubpo, Sumlog, and Cuabo in Lupon town.
In Davao City, five families or 15 individuals from Matina Crossing were evacuated. Mayor Sara Duterte has suspended work in all city government offices at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
The city also deployed 15 buses to transport stranded passengers after seeing that only a few Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) plied their routes on Tuesday.
