400,000 residents evacuated in Albay

MANILA, Philippines — With the threat of lahar, landslides, floods and storm surges due to Typhoon Ulysses, Albay local government officials have ordered the preemptive evacuation of 129,000 families or 400,000 people.

”We do not want to take chances because we are talking of thousands of lives that could be put in danger should Ulysses follow the path of Rolly,” Cedric Daep, Albay public safety and emergency management office chief, said.

Daep said residents of low-lying, flood-prone and landslide areas were forced to leave their homes.

He noted that river channels and gullies surrounding Mayon Volcano are heavily silted.

”The soil is saturated by previous heavy rains brought by Quinta and Rolly. We have to factor this in our estimate of the threshold of rains that could erode steep slopes and low-lying areas,” Daep said.

He said the preemptive evacuation of more families would be ordered depending on Ulysses’ track forecast.

Meanwhile, nearly 200 families evacuated their homes as heavy rains submerged villages in Claveria and Sanchez Mira towns in Cagayan yesterday.

The Cagayan Electric Cooperative II shut down power in the two towns and Sta. Praxedes, where landslides occurred.

Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba suspended classes in the province since Monday.

Two gates of Magat Dam were opened yesterday as the water level rose to 190.79 meters as of 2 p.m.

The dam’s spilling level is  193 meters. – Raymund Catindig, Victor Martin