300 families evacuated,
brownouts hit province
BY JUDY F. PARTLOW

No fatalities have been recorded by the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, but hundreds of families were evacuated to safer grounds in Dumaguete City and other flood-prone areas in Negros Oriental.

Initial reports from the DRRMC said 100 families near the Tiabanan River in Basay town were evacuated to safer grounds, along with another 100 families in Brgy. Mayabon, Siaton; 12 from Brgy. Puhagan, 43 families from Brgy. Palinpinon and 13 families living along Ocoy River in Dumaguete City.

The Banica River also overflowed, and spillways in Dumaguete remained impassable as of press time. Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria was in the area to assess the damage.

Death toll rises to 50

Typhoon "Pablo" (international name: Bopha) has slightly accelerated as it continues to move towards Siquijor-Negros Oriental area, and 13 areas of the country were placed under public storm warning signal number 3, the state weather bureau said.

Packed with strong winds, heavy rains and thunderstorms, “Pablo” already claimed the lives of around 50 people, affected 11,871 families, or 57,501 individuals, demolished houses and stranded hundreds of passengers in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Weather forecaster Bernie de Leon said that, as of 5 p.m. yesterday, "Pablo" was located at 30 km southeast of Dumaguete City (9.1°N, 123.4°E) with maximum sustained winds of 160 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 195 kph.

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