OCD: 46k in Bicol evacuate due to heavy rainfall caused by Amihan
Paulo Gaborni January 14, 2025 at 06:02 PM
BICOL — Over 46,000 people have been forced to evacuate in the Bicol Region due to heavy rainfall brought by the northeast monsoon (amihan) and the shear line, authorities said.
Officials have warned of further flooding and rain-induced landslides as downpours continue across the region.
The Office of Civil Defense in Bicol (OCD-5) reported that 9,896 families from four provinces have been displaced.
“We are coordinating with provincial disaster risk reduction offices to verify the number of affected individuals,” OCD-5 spokesperson Gremil Alexis Naz said.
More than 38,000 people are now in evacuation centers, while nearly 9,000 others have sought shelter with relatives, according to officials.
Flooding has been reported in at least 32 local government units, with dozens of roads and bridges affected.
Authorities stated that 35 roads remain impassable to all vehicles, while others are either restricted to light vehicles or reduced to a single lane.
“We are monitoring 58 local roads and bridges affected by the continuous rain. As a result, 35 roads are not passable to all vehicles, 13 are not passable to light vehicles, five are one-lane passable, and five are passable to light vehicles,” Naz said.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has warned that heavy rains caused by Amihan will continue in the region, particularly in the provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon.
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