Kidapawan names 8 sites for evacuees

KIDAPAWAN CITY (Dec 6) – At least eight villages here were identified as evacuation sites should flash floods and landslides occur during typhoon Ruby, said the city’s disaster management official. Psalmer Bernalte, in-charge of the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) and head of the city LGU’s Public Safety Office, said they already activated the DRRMs of the barangays Ilomavis, Balabag, Lanao, Balindog, Singao, Magsaysay, Poblacion, and Sudapin to respond to needs of typhoon victims. Bernalte said that he also assigned ‘barkers’ in areas prone to landslides and flash floods to warn them of possible effects of the typhoon. If the rainfall measures 200mm per hour, he said he will order for force evacuation. If worse comes to worst, we will order the residents to leave. If they refuse, we will insist on force evacuation,” he stressed. Earlier, the National DRRM listed North Cotabato as Alert Level B” or those areas that have rains of 5-10mm per hour or moderate to heavy and winds of 60-110kph. Its impacts include moderate damage to agriculture and travel by all types of air and sea vessels is risky.The city of Kidapawan is the capital of North Cotabato.Bernalte said that as of stock files of relief and food items, including medicines, the city government has assured enough supply for flood victims. The relief goods are stored at the City Social Welfare and Development Office while medicines are hoarded at the City Health Office, he explained.