Agaton veers; causes no damage

A capitol official on Tuesday, January 2, said Tropical Depression (TD) Agaton, initially forcasted to affect Misamis Oriental, did not cause destruction and damages in the province.

This after the TD Agaton has changed its track after making landfall over Dinagat Island province in the Caraga region yesterday dawn.

Fernando Dy Jr., Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (PDDRM) officer, said as early as Monday, some towns had already implemented preemptive evacuation to ensure the safety of residents.

He said a total of 372 families in the towns of Talisayan, Sugbongcogon, Claveria, Lugait and El Salvador City, have fled their homes and take shelter to safer grounds.

“We have been monitoring the entire province and we receive reports from local disaster offices nga nagconduct na og preemptive evacuation,”Dy said.

Dy said what remains to be the problem during preemptive evacuation are those families who refuse to heed warnings from their respective disaster officers.

Priority of the authorities for the evacuation are those living in landslide-prone and low lying areas.

Governor Yevgeny Emano has been telling the public to heed and pay attention to warnings issued by the staterun weather bureau.

The PDRRMO was on red alert when it monitored the track of TD Agaton so it can efficiently conduct possible emergency response.

Emano said the province again had no casualty and those who left their homes have already returned with some food packs with them.

Emano commended the efforts of all the disaster officers in the province, the police and all who helped maintain the safety of the constituents. Alwen Saliring