CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 3 Nov) – Isla Bugnaw, a reclaimed land along the bank of Cagayan River in Barangay Consolacion here where at least a hundred households built their homes, looked like a ghost community Monday afternoon.
Sunday evening, all the women, children and the aged voluntarily evacuated their homes. Only a few adult men were left behind to do some last minute chores securing their houses.
The Department of Education (DepEd) head office announced in its Twitter account the suspension of classes in all levels
By 2 p.m. Monday, a firetruck of the Bureau of Fire Protection went around the barangay blaring its sirens and with a loudspeaker urged the people to evacuate their homes and transfer to this City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) Command Center at the City Tourism Hall.
Consolacion was among the hardest-hit barangays in the city during the onslaught of tropical storm Sendong (International name: Washi) in the early hours of December 17 last year. As soon as the flood waters subsided, at least 16 bodies were discovered in Isla Bugnaw.
In a text message Monday afternoon, city information officer Ian Fuentes said the CDRRMC, in cooperation with the national government’s security forces and private volunteers, has prepared 30 dump trucks for those who may need the larger vehicles in going to the designated evacuation centers.
“We will be staying overnight at the Command Center while monitoring the movement of Pablo,” said Fuentes.
In its latest bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) located the eye of Typhoon Pablo as of 3 p.m. Monday at 420 km southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur with maximum sustained winds of 175 kph and gustiness of up to 210 kph.
“Surigao del Sur and the northern part of Davao Oriental will experience stormy weather with rough to very rough seas. Northern Mindanao, the rest of Caraga Region, Davao del Norte, the rest of Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, eastern Visayas, Bohol, Camotes Island and Siquijor will have rains with gusty winds with moderate to rough seas,” the government weather bureau’s bulletin reads. (Cong B. Corrales / MindaNews)