Remote Samar towns flattened by ‘Opong’

Two island municipalities in Northern Samar were left in ruins after typhoon “Opong” picked up strength as it exited mainland Samar early Friday morning.

According to Rei Josiah Echano, the province’s disaster risk reduction officer, the towns of Capul and San Vicente bore the brunt of the storm, with widespread destruction reported — particularly in areas where homes were mostly made of light materials.

“None, they can’t submit (a report) because these towns are flattened right now,” Echano said, explaining why no official damage reports have come from the two towns — communication lines are down and infrastructure is heavily damaged.

Northern Samar Governor Harris Ongchuan immediately led a team of emergency responders from the provincial health, social welfare and disaster offices to deliver food, shelter materials and other assistance to the affected communities.

“We will validate the data and sharpen our strategic interventions for recovery and rehabilitation,” Ongchuan said.

Remote and hard-hit

San Vicente, home to 9,260 residents (2020 Census), is the remotest island town in Northern Samar — accessible only via a two-hour boat ride from the town of Allen. Capul, a historic fifth-class municipality with a population of 12,323, is an hour away from the mainland by motorized banca.

According to Jemmy Pedrola, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s chief weather specialist in Catarman, typhoon “Opong” made landfall in San Policarpo, Eastern Samar, just before midnight Thursday. It then swept through Catubig, Lope de Vega, San Isidro, and eventually San Vicente early Friday morning. At the time, it was packing maximum winds of 120 kph and moving at 30 kph.

San Vicente Mayor Edgar Catarongan Jr. said an estimated 2,600 households in coastal barangays were severely affected by the storm.

The provincial government has requested additional relief assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and has begun distributing shelter kits from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to help displaced families.

Widespread impact across Eastern Visayas

As of 3 p.m. Friday, the OCD Eastern Visayas reported that 7,575 families or 27,653 individuals across Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Leyte, and Biliran were affected by “Opong.”

Of these, 1,204 families (4,260 people) are currently staying in 43 evacuation centers, while 301 families (1,139 people) are being assisted outside evacuation sites.

Sadly, one drowning fatality was confirmed in Biliran. Meanwhile, 12 people were reported missing in Guiuan and Maydolong, Eastern Samar, after the boats they were on capsized due to rough seas.

A motorized banca traveling from Guiuan to Homonhon Island capsized between Manicani and Homonhon on Thursday. Thankfully, all seven passengers were rescued the following day by the Philippine Coast Guard and MDRRMO Guiuan.

Search efforts continue for five fishermen from Maydolong who have been missing since heading out to sea on 23 September.