At least 400 families in Manila seek refuge in evacuation centers

Some 400 families in Manila City were forcibly evacuated on Sunday, with the threat of rains and heavy floods brought about by typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni).

The families were forced to evacuate on Sunday morning, ahead of the heavy downpour expected in Metro Manila, with the area placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal 4.

"Mas maaga pa at maliwanag, mas madali tayong makaka-evacuate," Arnel Angeles, Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office director, said in a report by Vonne Aquino on GMA's "24 Oras Weekend."

Out of the families evacuated, 200 were from Barangay 20 in Isla Puting Bato, others among those living along the river in Barangay 128, and residing in the Smokey Mountain.

"Sinabihan namin na ano, hindi biro ang bagyo ngayon, mas malakas pa sa nakaraan," Bong Dumalauan, a tanod at Barangay 128, said in the report as he was seen urging residents to seek refuge in evacuation centers.

The Manila Health Department said evacuees with symptoms of COVID-19 will undergo swab tests and will be transferred to the Delpan Quarantine Facility should they test positive.

Typhoon Rolly weakened into a typhoon before noon on Sunday, but still poses a threat as a number of areas remain under various tropical cyclone wind signals. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA News