NDRRMC: Nearly 5,000 people evacuated in Caraga in prep for ‘Auring’

More than a thousand families have been evacuated in Caraga Region, a hazard land area for the approach of the first tropical storm to enter the country this year, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Saturday.

“Ngayon nakatanggap [kami] ng balita sa regional disaster council for Caraga na nagpreemptive evacuation ‘yung 1,241 pamilya at kasalukuyang nananatili sa 36 evaucation centers at pinangangalagaan ng local governemnts na nakasakop sa kanila,” NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal said during state-run PTV’s Laging Handa briefing.

The 1,241 evacuated families is equivalent to 4,847 individuals.

Timbal said minimum health protocols are in place in evacuation centers.

“Ine-emphasize natin ang preemptive evacuation para maaga pa lang hindi na nagmamadali ang mga tao... para maobserbahan pa rin ang minimum health standards sa evacuation centers. Ang guidance nananatiling hindi magsiksikan,” he said.

Twenty-five areas remained under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 on Saturday morning as Tropical Storm Auring (international name: Dujuan) maintained its strength as it moves over the Philippine Sea east of Mindanao, PAGASA said.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said TCWS No. 1 was raised over the following areas:

• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Cebu
• Negros Oriental
• Bohol
• Siquijor
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Sur
• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Davao Oriental
• Davao de Oro
• Davao del Norte
• Davao City
• Camiguin
• Misamis Oriental
• Misamis Occidental
• Lanao del Norte
• Bukidnon
• Lanao del Sur

Hazards on land areas

Auring is expected to bring heavy to intense rains over Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Eastern Samar this Saturday through Sunday noon.

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are expected over Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, and the rest of Caraga, while light to moderate with at times heavy rains are over Central Visayas, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and the rest of Northern Mindanao and Eastern Visayas. -MDM, GMA News