NDRRMC: 1 dead, 626 families evacuated in Eastern Visayas

At least one person drowned while more than 626 families were evacuated in Eastern Visayas due to rains and floods brought by tropical storm "Bebeng" (Aure). The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council also said some 1,207 people were stranded in Bicol as ports suspended operations Saturday. In its 1 a.m. Sunday report, the NDRRMC said Luis Dingcol, 47, died due to drowning. Dingcol was from Canlanpay village in Carigara town in Leyte. Also, the NDRRMC said floodwaters as high as two meters affected several areas in Leyte, including:

• Ormoc City, where 626 families were evacuated to barangay halls, school buildings, residential homes and chapels;
• Catarman, Northern Samar, which was isolated due to flooding; and
• Lope de Vega, Northern Samar, where an undetermined number of families were brought to the municipal hall.

A landslide Saturday morning prompted the evacuation of six families from Purok Rosal in District 29 in Ormoc City to the Alta Vista village hall. Roads in Barangays Canligues and Concepcion in Paranas town and Parina and Macabetas villages in Jiabong town were not passable due to the flood. The south road from Calbayog to Catarman was also impassable. Preemptive evacuation in Albay In Albay, at least 13,392 households or 63,964 people in 152 villages in coastal areas; families living in houses made of light materials were evacuated. Also evacuated were 7,546 families or 34,533 people in 69 villages living near the lahar zone of Legazpi City, Daraga, Camalig, Sto. Domingo and Guinobatan. Local authorities also monitored Mount Mayon's permanent danger zones (PDZs) on the effects of continuous rains that may trigger flash floods and landslides. Even the butanding (whale shark) interaction in Donsol in Sorsogon was suspended for the meantime. Canceled flights Due heavy rains, some air carriers canceled early Sunday morning their flights to areas affected by Bebeng. Radio dzBB's Mao dela Cruz reported that the Cebu Pacific canceled at least three flights to Virac (Catanduanes), Naga (Camarines Sur), and Legazpi (Albay). Air Philippines also canceled flights to Calbayog (Samar), Catarman (Northern Samar), and Naga, the report added. In Bicol region, Office of the Civil Defense head Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said at least 1,400 people were stranded. The NDRRMC earlier reported 1,207 people, 50 trucks, 43 cars, 15 buses, 15 vessels and 14 motor bancas were stranded as 14 ports suspended operations in anticipation of Bebeng. These 14 ports included three in Albay, three in Sorsogon, four in Masbate, and two each in Camarines Sur and Catanduanes. In Northern Samar, rains and floods stranded 825 passengers; six ferry boats (four in San Isidro, two in Allen); 26 buses; 23 trucks; 16 light vehicles. The Coast Guard and local disaster management officials deployed teams in areas expected to be affected. — LBG, GMA News