Bataan, Batangas families forced out by ‘Tisoy’

A resident walks past debris from their destroyed houses after Typhoon "Tisoy" hit Sorsogon on 3 December 2019. (AFP)

Most parts of Bataan experienced moderate rains only but two towns evacuated at least 258 families, or more than 1,100 persons, as a precautionary measure in the wake of Typhoon “Tisoy” on Tuesday.

The evacuees were 31 families from Sta. Elena and 200 families from Calungusan, both villages in Orion town, and 27 families from Barangay Wawa in Abucay which are along the coastal areas.

The affected families from Barangay Sta. Elena took shelter at the Sta. Elena Elementary School while those from Calungusan at the Calungusan Elementary School.

The families from Wawa were evacuated to the Senior Citizens Hall of the village.

Most of the evacuees were children, women and senior citizens.

Evacuees at the Calungusan Elementary School, mostly came from Sitio Depensa where houses were razed by a fire last January. Some built temporary houses in the same area.

“It is already windy and the waves are higher during the night,” Eliza Caputo, a villager, said.

Many fishing boats were placed on higher ground, some near roads in Calungusan and Sta. Elena.

Fisherman Jelito Blanca said they have not gone out to fish since Saturday, adding his wife was one of the evacuees in Calungusan Elementary School.

“They were preemptively evacuated by the barangay officials. It is dangerous here. It is dangerous if the winds come from the sea,” Blanca said.

Calungusan village official Rogan Mahinay said around 200 families from Depensa evacuated to a nearby elementary school.

“We preparsx for the rising of the sea because they are living near the sea. To ensure their safety, we asked them to evacuate early since Monday night,” Mahinay said.

In San Juan, Batangas, over 500 residents of coastal barangays and other flood-prone areas were similarly evacuated.

State weather bureau PAGASA said Tisoy will be out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday. (PNA)