Some 590 families, comprising 650 individuals from coastal areas in Antique, have moved to safer places as Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Opong (international name Bualoi) continues to bring heavy rains and gusty winds on Friday.
Antique Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer III Michael Tolentino said in an interview Friday that the evacuated families are from the northern municipalities of Barbaza, Culasi, Libertad, Valderrama, Tibiao, and the capital town of San Jose de Buenavista. “We are still closely monitoring other evacuees in the other municipalities,” Tolentino said.
The preemptive and forced evacuations were implemented due to wind surges along coastal municipalities. A total of 256 families are staying in barangay halls and gymnasiums as evacuation centers, while the rest have chosen to stay with relatives. “We advise the public to refrain from going out of their homes unless they have essential transactions,” Tolentino said.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) is also monitoring the Ypayo River in Patnongon, which has reached critical level, while the Tibiao River’s water level is above normal.
Meanwhile, port operations in San Jose de Buenavista, Libertad, Culasi, Caluya, Pinagpala Port in Semirara, Caluya, and from Culasi Poblacion to Mararison Island have been temporarily suspended. There is no air travel at Evelio B. Javier Airport in San Jose de Buenavista, as Philippine Airlines, the only carrier operating in the province, has flights only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.