Pablo affects 1,600 families in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines -  Even without directly making a landfall in Cebu, super typhoon “Pablo” has left more than 1,600 families affected in the province with over a hundred houses totally damaged.

According to the report of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, as of yesterday, a total of 54 barangays from different areas in the province recorded minimal to excessive damage.

Today, Garcia will be visiting the affected towns to assess the damage and also to bring relief goods for the residents.

She will be heading first to the southwest and southeast areas of Cebu where most of the damage of typhoon “Pablo” was recorded.

The governor said that heavy equipment are already in place to help the towns where damage to houses, roads and infrastructure have been reported.

Despite the damage that typhoon Pablo has brought to some towns, she is grateful that the damage was not as bad as expected from the super typhoon.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration has earlier warned Visayas provinces, including Cebu, to be ready for the strong winds and heavy rains brought about by the super typhoon.

High pressure reportedly pushed the typhoon out sparing most part of Cebu and hitting only the southern towns.

Garcia said she has instructed her office to coordinate with the social welfare office of Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental and other affected provinces in Mindanao which are badly damaged by the typhoon so that Cebu can extend help.

During the aftermath of last year’s typhoon “Sendong” which also hit Mindanao and nearby provinces of Cebu, the provincial government also sent financial assistance and lent equipment for the provinces to use in the clearing activities.

Yesterday, Garcia said that they would need to check on the need of equipment of the areas in Mindanao.

Further, the PDRRMO report showed 1,611 families were affected, with  4,083 individuals. Most came from the southernmost part of Cebu where a storm signal number 3 was raised as “Pablo” was expected to pass through on its way to the other areas in the Visayas region.

The report showed that Santander had the most number of houses totally damaged with 58, while recorded 506 houses partially damaged. Around 45 families affected stayed overnight in the evacuation center provided by the local government of Santander.

But the municipality of Boljoon reportedly had the biggest damage where its baywalk, one of the town’s tourist spots, was ruined by strong waves and where the municipal hall and other nearby offices and residences were wrecked.

Garcia said she was stunned to learn that the concrete seats in the park of Boljoon were thrown on the other side of the road. The town also recorded one of the four casualties reported in the province. Arlene Pila, 44 years old, died after a coconut tree fell on her.

Boljoon tallied a total of 18 houses totally damaged and 27 partially damaged. Its nearby Oslob town recorded 138 families affected by the typhoon with three houses totally damaged and one house plus the town’s seawall partially damaged.

Other towns in the south that recorded damages were San Fernando with 430 affected families and 1,800 affected persons, Sibonga with 280 families affected, one totally damaged and 36 houses partially damaged, Dalaguete with 210 affected families,

Alcoy with 10 affected families and a collapsed waiting shed, Ginatilan with six affected families and six houses totally damaged and Badian with 29 families affected.

The town of Alegria reported 49 families affected, 16 houses totally damaged and 33 partially damaged with one casualty while Malabuyoc also had two casualties with seven totally damaged houses.

Northern towns like Sogod, Lilo-an and Catmon also reported damages in their areas with 122,107 and 10 families affected, respectively.

Marina

Maritime Industry Authority regional director Nannette Dinopol said that it is still monitoring ships in the region especially with the report that two vessels docked in a southern town port hammered its body into the seaport due to big waves.

She said that there were only a number of incidents like that of the passenger vessel, Delta 1, which sunk last Wednesday after attempting to save a sister ship which encountered engine trouble.

Dinopol said that the ship decided to take shelter in Siquijor but the strong waves caused problems which sunk the ship. All crew members were saved. Dinopol said that two other ships were also reported to run aground.

The Department of Health in the region has assured that medicine is ready in case illnesses will occur in evacuation centers in the region.—/FPL (FREEMAN)