5 dead amid flooding in Palawan due to rains from shear line

Five people were reported killed in Aborlan, Palawan due to the floods from rains caused by the shear line, GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita reported on Wednesday.

The five bodies were recovered after their van was washed away by the flood in Aborlan on Sunday evening.

Seven people survived the incident, Palawan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) head Jerry Alili told Super Radyo dzBB in an interview.

The towns of Narra, Brooke's Point, and Sofronio Española were also affected by the floods.

A total of 2,144 families have evacuated from their homes in the municipalities of Palawan.

“Humupa na po ang pagbaha. Kahapon umikot ako sa mga munisipyo na ito at maayos na rin. Although, may mga kababayan pa rin tayong mga nasa evacuation center kahapon,” Alili said.

(The floods have subsided. Yesterday I went around these municipalities and they were fine. Although, we still have constituents who were in the evacuation center yesterday.)

“We expect na ngayong araw, 'yung ilan sa kanila ay babalik na sa kanilang mga tahanan,” he added.

(We expect that today, some of them will return to their homes.)

The PDRRMO is set to conduct a damage assessment.

According to Alili, it was the first time the province experienced such heavy rainfall since 1975.

“Ang huling pagkakaton na nakaranas ang Palawan ng ganitong karaming buhos ng ulan ay 1975. That's 50 years ago. Kakaiba. Itong buhos ng ulan mas na-break niya yung record noong 1975,” he said.

(The last time Palawan experienced this much rain was 1975. That's 50 years ago. It was strange. This downpour broke the record in 1975.)

State of calamity

A state of calamity, meanwhile, was declared in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan due to the massive floods.

According to the city government, 24 barangays were flooded. The floods affected over 3,000 residents, 1,000 farmers, and almost 800 hectares of fields.

Meanwhile in Oriental Mindoro, floods also hit Baco town, affecting over 11,000 families.

Damage to agriculture worth P9 million was reported in the town.

PAGASA said Palawan will experience cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms on Wednesday due to the trough of a low pressure area. —Joviland Rita/KG/RSJ, GMA Integrated News