EVACUATION. Families stay at the Nagdayao Elementary School following their preemptive evacuation on Thursday (July 18, 2024). Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Broderick Train said during an interview Friday (July 19) that two persons died while 335 families were pre-emptively evacuated for their safety due to the low-pressure area that affected the province. (Photo courtesy of Antique provincial government)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The low-pressure area (LPA) affecting the province of Antique caused the drowning of two persons and the preemptive evacuation of 335 families composed of 1,087 individuals for their safety.
Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Broderick Train said during an interview Friday that the floodwater swept the two fatalities while they were crossing a creek in Sitio Tumangad in Barangay Bongbongan, Sibalom on their way home to Barangay Lagdo on July 18.
He identified the fatalities as Carmencita Dionato, 72, and Jerry Benedicto, 50.
“The body of Jerry Benedicto was found in Sitio Balabago, Bongbongan II, past 7 o’clock this morning and that of Carmencita Dionato before noontime,” he said.
Meanwhile, Train said the 335 families they preemptively evacuated on Thursday are from the towns of Sibalom, Patnongon, Belison, Tobias Fornier, and Hamtic.
“These families were also the ones who had been affected by Typhoon Paeng in October 2022, that is why they immediately complied when informed about the pre-emptive evacuation,” he said.
In a separate interview, Sibalom Municipal Social Welfare and Development officer Susan Solis said they distributed 100 family food packs to the evacuees from last night until Friday morning.
“The families were preemptively evacuated at the barangay halls and schools while there were some persons who stayed temporarily with their relatives,” she said.
Sibalom, the most affected municipality, based on the Antique PDRRMO report, has 124 families affected by the flash flood.
There were also 135 families with 387 persons in Sibalom who stayed in the evacuation centers, while 19 persons were with their relatives. (PNA)
