100 families evacuated in Caloocan

MANILA, Philippines — At least 100 families were evacuated in two barangays in Caloocan following heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon or habagat yesterday.

Caloocan public information officer Princess Garcia told The STAR that among those evacuated were 26 families from Barangay 185 who sought shelter at the Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School while 46 families from Barangay 180 sought refuge at its old barangay hall.

Garcia added that the residents of Barangay 180 were evacuated due to the rising water level of Ilang-ilang creek while a preemptive evacuation was conducted for Barangay 185.

Sleeping kits, hot meals and modular tents were provided by the city to affected residents while Caloocan Mayor Along Malapitan ordered the city’s social welfare and development office to distribute food packs to Barangay 180 residents.

Meanwhile, the alert warning at the Marikina River was lifted on Thursday night with the exit of Super Typhoon Egay.

The city government’s public information office said the first alarm was lifted at around 9 p.m. after the water level went down to 14.9 meters.

At around 10 a.m. yesterday, the level was at 14.8 meters.

A total of 20 families were evacuated when the water level reached above 15 meters on Thursday morning.

The highest recorded level was at 16 meters, which prompted a second alarm. — Villeza, Emmanuel Tupas