Quinta forces residents to evacuate

TACLOBAN, Philippines – Residents of Guiuan, Eastern Samar affected by Tropical Storm Quinta (Wukong) started evacuating on Tuesday, December 25, local authorities said. 

The local Office of Civil Defense (OCD) told Rappler that evacuation measures have been undertaken to prevent deaths and injuries in affected areas. 

“We advise local disaster management councils to take precautionary measures. These councils should be convened as they will prepare communities for possible effects of the typhoon,” OCD-Region VIII Director Rey Gozon said in an interview with Rappler. (Watch more in the video below)

Guiuan, Eastern Samar has started evacuating residents along its coastal barangays at around 8:30 pm on Tuesday.

In Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte, evacuation efforts started as early as 4 pm in Brgys Ayahayag, Sugangon, and Nueva Esperanza. Evacuation in Tabon-tabon began at 8:15 pm.

According to Gozon, the people in the region are now more prepared and resilient after the deadly 2006 landslide in Southern Leyte that caused massive damage and killed more than 1,000 people. – Rappler.com