Urduja affects nearly 160,000 people in Eastern Visayas, Caraga

More than 35,000 families or almost 160,000 people in Eastern Visayas and Caraga region have been affected by Tropical Storm Urduja, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Saturday.

The NDRRMC’s situational report released around 8 a.m., said the affected population is composed of 35,021 families or 158,166 people in 322 barangays across the two regions.

Of this number, 8,831 families or 38,846 people are staying in evacuation centers. One family of four is being served outside an evacuation center.

Three people have also been reported dead.

The cyclone slammed into Eastern Samar at around 1:30 p.m. and also threatens Sorsogon province.

Meanwhile, 4,327 families were preemptively evacuated in Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar.

Office of Civil Defense spokesperson Romina Marasigan encouraged residents in coastal areas in Northern and Eastern Samar to evacuate to safety as the cyclone's wind may spawn up to 14 meters high of storm surges.

Flooding

Citing data from the regional offices of the Office of Civil Defense, the NDRRMC said 92 areas in Western and Eastern Visayas were flooded due to heavy rains brought about by the tropical storm.

Rice fields in 13 barangays in Sigma, Capiz were flooded, with waters already subsiding in some areas. Rice fields and roads were also affected by floods in six barangays in Mambusao, Capiz.

In Carigara, Leyte, 72 families or 293 individuals were affected by flooding in 12 barangays. Waist-level floodwater have forced 106 families to evacuate in Jipapad, Eastern Samar.

Barangay Cantolerio in Maydolong, Eastern Samar, was reported to be “isolated” due to a submerged bridge. A total of 17 barangays are flooded in the town.

Also flooded are several barangays in Sulat, Taft, Arteche, and General MacArthur, all in Eastern Samar.

The NDRRMC also reported a power interruption due to a toppled electrical post in five municipalities in Agusan Del Norte: Cabadbaran City, Jabonga, Carmen, Kitcharao, and Buenavista as of Friday.

Clearing operations are ongoing, said the report.

Meanwhile, at least one road in Bicol and four more in Eastern Visayas were rendered impassable by heavy rains, flood, or landslide as of Friday.

The Bulan Municipal Road-Taromata Spillway in Sorsogon was “damaged” due to heavy rains.

Two sections of the Wright-Taft-Borongan Road in Eastern Samar covering Malinao and Mabuhay, Taft; and Silaga Bridge of Daang Maharlika (San Isidro - San Juanico) were closed to traffic due to flood.

Daang Maharlika K1054+300, covering Sitio Tagbak, Barangay Tabugon in Liloan, Southern Leyte, was impassable due to landslide. The area was being cleared, according to the report.

Due to tropical cyclone warning signals, 11,101 passengers, 1,322 rolling cargoes, 52 vessels, and 33 motor bancas, are also stranded as of 6 a.m. in several ports in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and the National Capital Region.

Several airlines have also cancelled flights to and from the areas affected by the cyclone. —ALG, GMA News