DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / December 18) – At least 206 families were evacuated Monday in New Bataan, Davao de Oro due to tropical storm “Kabayan,” which also caused landslides that disrupted the flow of traffic in parts of the province.
As of 1:20 p.m., Cleo Aparece, New Bataan information officer, said that 103 families with 370 members have been evacuated in Barangay Bantacan; 69 families (192 individuals) in Barangay Kahayag, and 22 families (74 individuals) in Barangay Cabinuangan (Poblacion).
In Barangay Andap, six families (12 individuals) have been evacuated, four families (16 individuals) in Barangay Magangit, and two families (eight individuals) in Barangay Camanlangan.
In December 2012, Typhoon Pablo devastated New Bataan, leaving a wide trail of death and destruction. At least 430 persons were confirmed dead while 320 were missing.
Aparece said typhoon Kabayan triggered landslides in barangays Manurigao and Magsaysay, with the roads there not passable as of 1:20 pm.
In Mawab town, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) reported that rains spawned by Kabayan also caused a landslide in Sitio Depot, Barangay Upper Ulip Monday morning.
The landslide toppled some electric posts, obstructing the road for four-wheel and large vehicles but not motorcycles, it said.
No casualties were recorded in the area so far as of 3:00 p.m.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (Pagasa) latest weather bulletin issued at 2 p.m. Monday stated that Kabayan had slightly weakened as it “traverses mainland Mindanao on its way out westward or west northwestward path across the Philippine archipelago over the next two days.”
As of 1 p.m., it packed maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It was moving west at 20 kph.
Pagasa forecasted that Kabayan will continue to cross the “rugged terrain of Mindanao and emerge over the Sulu Sea between this afternoon and evening.”
“Due to frictional effects associated with landfall, Kabayan is forecast to further weaken, and the possibility of being downgraded into a low pressure area while over land or after emerging over the sea is not ruled out (although in such a case, re-development may still occur over the Sulu Sea),” the weather bulletin said. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
