Mass evacuation as typhoon Utor batters central Philippines
By Maria Twink,WNS Philippines Correspondent
MANILA - Typhoon Utor tore across the central Philippines Sunday, leaving four dead or missing and forcing nearly 67,000 to evacuate as officials battled to avoid a second disaster within 10 days. The mass evacuation was intended to avert any repeat of the devastation of super-typhoon Durian just over a week ago which unleashed massive mudslides in the eastern Bicol region that left more than 1,000 people dead or missing. Utor has already forced the government to postpone two key regional summits this week in the central island of Cebu, which is in the path of the storm -- although sources say the real reason may be a terror threat. In all, 66,700 people were evacuated nationwide ahead of Utor's onslaught, more than 59,000 of them in Bicol alone even though the storm was not expected to hit the region directly.
As of 10:45 am (0245 GMT) Sunday Utor was over the southern tip of Mindoro island, packing maximum winds of 120 kilometres near the centre and moving northwest at 17 kilometres (10.5 miles) per hour, the government weather station said. By Monday, it was expected to be northwest of Coron town in the western island of Palawan. Parts of the central island of Cebu lost power due to the storm and a power barge -- a floating generator supplying electricity to the central island of Romblon -- spilled some of its fuel, causing an oil spill, civil defence office said.
As heavy rains lashed the Bicol region, families huddled in schools and churches serving as evacuation centres, sleeping on mats and cardboard sheets laid upon concrete floors. Some of those evacuated were allowed to return home after sunrise but others were told to stay in the evacuation centres due to fears the continuing rains would result in new mudslides.
posted by wnsworld @ 8:45 PM
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