Aurora villagers alerted for possible evacuation

DINGALAN, Aurora — At least 1,000 families here and in other towns were told to pack up their belongings and be on alert for possible evacuation anytime as strong winds and heavy rains triggered by a low pressure area pummeled coastal areas of this province yesterday.

Gov. Bellaflor Angara told The STAR she has "pre-positioned" at least 150 sacks of rice here and in other northern towns in danger of isolation in case of flash floods or landslides which killed scores of Aurora villagers during a slew of typhoons late last year.

"It seems that the strong rains came early this year. Historically, strong rains hit our province starting October and November," she said.

She said two motorized boats, each capable of ferrying 10 to 12 people, were dispatched to this town, particularly in Barangay Paltik, which she earlier declared a "no man’s land" due to natural dangers facing residents there.

Scores of families in Barangay Paltik affected by last year’s calamities have yet to be relocated amid a shortage of relocation sites since most of the areas declared safe by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) are privately owned.

The MGB earlier came out with studies indicating that areas devastated by flash floods and landslides in this province remain in serious danger.

Angara said the provincial government has bought radio communications devices worth P5 million and has distributed them to disaster management officials in the towns of Dingalan, Dinaluyan, Casiguran and Dilasag, which were isolated by last year’s flash floods and landslides.

Evacuation alerts were also raised in Barangays San Isidro and Diteki in San Luis town, she said.

"We have cellphone signals in these areas, but the signals vanish during bad weather. Radio devices last longer even during a power outage," Angara said.

The provincial government has also commissioned the building of three new rescue boats, each costing P260,000. It presently has two rescue boats.

The desilting of the Sabangan River in this town was also rushed to allow the free flow of floodwaters, Angara said.

She said the evacuation alert for endangered Dingalan residents will remain until the rainy season is over.

"The gymnasium in Dingalan is ready to be used for evacuees," she said.

Angara quoted experts of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau as saying that only 1.5 hectares of some five hectares initially reserved for a resettlement project in Barangay Karagkasan in Dingalan were found safe from landslides.

A government-owned land in Barangay Tanauan earlier identified as a possible relocation site was also found unsafe as it sits on top of an earthquake fault.

"Our problem is that most of the areas safe enough for relocation in Dingalan are privately owned and it would cost us much to purchase them," Angara said.

She said local funds are also being spent on flood control and other infrastructure projects which were destroyed last year.

"We had to concentrate, too, on flood control, bridges and roads because we think that they are needed to prevent a repetition of the tragedy that befell us last year. The bridges and roads are also necessary in case we are again confronted by the need to evacuate during the rainy season," she added.