Rains prompt evacuation order in 3 Albay towns

The threat of landslides and flash floods caused by heavy rains since Friday night has prompted local officials to call for emergency evacuation of residents in three towns in Albay province in Bicol region on Christmas Day. Albay public safety and emergency management office head Cedric Daep said teams went around to advise residents to move to safe grounds. “Our teams are going around the neighborhoods telling residents to prepare for emergency evacuation," Daep said in Filipino in an interview aired on dzBB. He said the towns covered by the advisory to evacuate include:

• Malilipot, a fourth-class town with a population of at least 33,593 people in 5,714 households;
• Manito, a fourth-class town with a population of at least 21,652 people in 3,776 households; and
• Santo Domingo, a fourth-class town with a population of at least 30,711 people in 5,390 households.

Daep said their monitoring of rainfall Friday night showed an average of 9 mm per hour. He noted the average 24-hour rainfall measures 100 mm. He also said that if the accumulated rainfall reaches 200 mm, “magkakaroon kami ng landslide (we may have a landslide)." Daep said residents need not evacuate to schools, adding they can stay with relatives living in safer areas. “Pwede sila sa relatives na malayo sa danger zone (They can stay with relatives living far from the danger zone)," he said. Also, he said those with livestock need not keep their animals tied, saying some residents merely remove the animals’ leashes so they can flee during a flood and find their way back to their masters’ homes later. — LBG, GMANews.TV