DAVAO CITY – Over 300 families remain in seven evacuation centers in Cateel, Davao Oriental where severe Typhoon Vinta made landfall at 1:45 a.m. Friday. The town’s poblacion remains without power since Thursday night.
“Vinta” made landfall in Cateel at exactly 1:45 a.m. based on the state weather bureau PAGASA’s monitoring system in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, bringing strong winds and heavy torrential rains across the area.
As of 7 a.m. Friday, the initial report from Cateel showed that 306 families or 1,287 individuals are sheltered in seven evacuation centers in the town.
Based on the initial report, Provincial Information Officer Karen Deloso said two houses are totally damaged in Barangays San Miguel and Santa Filomena in Cateel.
According to Deloso, the water level in Aragon irrigation dam, Cateel continues to drop from 19.2 meters last night to 18 meters as of 7 a.m. Governor Nelson Dayanghirang has called for an urgent meeting of the provincial and municipal disaster teams for assessment. Cateel was the focus of attention of the provincial government after Vinta was reported to have made landfall in the town.
It may be recalled that Cateel town was heavily devastated when Super-Typhoon Pablo made landfall in December 2012.
On the other hand, in Compostela Valley province there are 4,292 individuals from the towns of New Bataan, Montevista, Nabunturan, Maragusan, Mabini, Pantukan, Mawab and Compostela currently staying in evacuation centers.
Provincial Information Officer Fe Maestre said the road going to Cabidianan from Nabunturan poblacion is not passable to vehicles after water from a nearby dam overflowed.
Compostela Valley remains under Signal No 2, with the center of “Vinta” was located in the northern part about 10 km north-northwest of Monkayo town or 47 km southwest of Bislig City, Surigao del Sur. (Lilian Mellejor/PNA)
