Town evacuates nearly 900 locals as relief operations continue in 3 affected barangays
Massive evacuation was effected in three barangays of Tubungan, Iloilo following Saturday evening’s landslide and mudflows.
Located 42 kilometers south of Iloilo City, this incident stands as the worst to hit this quiet town of mostly rolling hills and mountains with very limited plains.
The News Today (TNT) in an update learned that at least 800 locals have been evacuated to safer grounds and holed up in the town’s covered gym. Rescue and relief operations though continued and heightened with the Philippine Air Force (PAF) coming in.
In a phone interview, Mayor Victor Tabaquirao told TNT that he sought for Sunday’s airlift rescue and transport of 16 elderly and sick locals of Barangay Igtuble.
As of yesterday, actual count of affected families reached 198 or 891 individuals including the children and the elderly. All safely evacuated, 250 persons were brought to Barangay Bantayanan, a “higher” barangay with the rest brought to the covered gym. Emergency medical check-ups were immediately done while relief goods came from both private citizens and the government.
Barangay Igtuble has an estimated 1,200 population based on the latest census and some 11 kilometers from the Poblacion or town proper. Mayor Tabaquirao said this barangay is the worst hit with 150 to 200 hectares covered by the landslide.
The extent of the damage totally destroyed at least 40 houses, undetermined area of crops and scores of livestocks.
The mayor said a number of affected heads of families already expressed desire to go back and check on said crops and livestocks. Yet Tabaquirao maintained that unless and until the entire landslide-hit areas have been cleared by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the area remains off-limits. MGB experts are expected to visit the site today.
Government help and assistance came immediately, Mayor Tabaquirao added, citing the prompt aid of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) here and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). It was through the OCD and NDCC that two rescue helicopters of the PAF came all the way from Mactan, Cebu.
As such, resources of the municipality got needed-back-up as the town lost no time in ensuring that evacuees had potable water and shelter.
“We also got immediate relief food assistance from Congresswoman Janette Garin, Board Members Richard Garin and Doctor Mac Napulan and even from fellow mayors in the First District like Mayor Christine Garin of Guimbal and Igbaras Mayor James Esmeralda,” Mayor Tabaquirao added.
Three of the most-hit barangays – Igtuble, Igpaho and Molina – are now under a “State of Calamity” while others along the path of the mudflows were categorized “under imminent danger.”
To note, path of the mudflow was from the boundary barangays of Igpaho and Igtuble going towards Barangay Molina. Barangay Bantayanan was the immediate choice for relocation and temporary haven of the affected locals given its higher grounds.
Yet despite the enormity of the incident, Mayor Tabaquirao remained grateful that no lives were lost nor injuries sustained in the course of the evacuation.
“We worked non-stop… even days before Saturday evening’s landslide, we were already monitoring the area and called for the evacuation... it was Saturday morning when things got really bad and mudflow loosened the huge boulders… by 7pm Saturday, it was when everything got worst but we are still fortunate that we have spared the lives of our residents..we pray that all goes well and that no lives will be lost at all in the course of all these,” Mayor Tabaquirao ended.