Usman causes landslide, floods, impassable roads, power outages; people evacuate

At least three people died on Saturday after Tropical Depression Usman brought heavy rains overnight in Regions 5 and 8, causing flooding, power outages, impassable roads, and displacement of families.

Landslide

A landslide occurred in Barangay San Francisco, Legazpi City, Albay before 2 a.m. Saturday.

Three people died—the parents and their child.

Authorities have yet to release the names of the fatalities.

Flood, power outage

Several towns in Region 8 were affected by flooding and power outages , the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Saturday.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, NDRRMC Director and spokesperson Edgar Posadas said the following cities and municipalities in Eastern Visayas were flooded:

• Lope de Vega, Catarman, and San Roque in Northern Samar
• Calbayog City and San Jorge in Samar

LOOK: Parts of Calbayog City in Samar flooded due to Usman

Several road sections were also not passable due to flooding, namely:

• Catarman-Calbayog Road
• Lope de Vega Road
• Catarman Diversion Road
• Borongan Road
• Calbayog Road

"Meron ding reports of power outrages, sa Region 8," Posadas said.

Meanwhile, in Quezon, heavy rains flooded low-lying areas in Tagkawayan.

Heavy rains from Tropical Depression Usman overnight caused flooding in low-lying areas in Quezon, such as this road in Tagkawayan, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018. Peewee Bacuño

The following areas were affected by power outages:

• Almagro, Sto. Niño, and Libucan in Samar
• Batag, Biri, and San Antonio in Northern Samar
• Power transmission lines of Leyte

In Camarines Norte, a big tree got uprooted and blocked Maharlika Highway in Masalong in Labo, according to netizen Mark Salen.

Residents and volunteer groups joined hands in removing parts of the tree to clear the highway.

Evacuees

Meanwhile, at least 73 families were pre-emptively evacuated in Northern Samar due to Usman, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said Saturday.

"Last report kahapon ay mayroong 73 families na nag-preemptive evacuation... Tuloy-tuloy ang rescue sa mga pamilya na 'yun," OCD Region 8 Regional Director Henry Anthony Torres in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

Most of the affected families were from the town of Lope de Vega, where there is a reported flooding.

"As of now 'yung mga uniformed personnel natin ay tumutulong sa pag-rescue ng mga tao doon," Torres said.

The town of Lope de Vega is also not passable due to flooding.

"Hindi na passable 'yung part ng Calbayog to Catarman. 'Yung Lope de Vega 'yun ang in between na bayan ng nabanggit ko na mga lugar," Torres said.

In Region 5, meanwhile, the Philippine National Police said 1,666 residents were evacuated in the Bicol Region, according to a report on Super Radyo dzBB by Jonathan Andal.

As of 5:00 am, nasa 1,666 na ang mga inilikas na residente sa Bicol region dahil sa masamang panahon:

Albay - 939
Sorsogon - 574
Camarines Sur - 70
Catanduanes - 83
source: PNP Region 5

| via @JonathanAndal_

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) December 29, 2018

Of the total number of evacuees in Bicol, 939 were from Albay, 574 were from Sorsogon, 70 from Camarines Sur, and 83 from Catanduanes.

In Real, Quezon, at least 206 people were staying at evacuation centers.

Some 115 people on the other hand who were stranded at the Atimonan Port were brought by authorities to the MDRRMO evacuation center.

Tropical Depression Usman made landfall over Eastern Samar's Borongan City at 6 a.m. on Saturday, and weakened into a low-pressure area, weather service PAGASA said. —With reports from Peewee Bacuño/Ted Cordero/KG, GMA News