LEGAZPI CITY -- An estimated 236,000 people in Albay province alone will be evacuated today (Thursday) to safer grounds after tropical storm Mina intensified into a typhoon.

        Wednesday afternoon, GMANews.TV reported that authorities had started with the evacuation of some 40,000 residents in Albay, ahead of the expected landfall of tropical storm “Mina” which is forecast to hit the Bicol region on Friday.

        Classes in all levels were suspended by the Department of Education as early as Wednesday afternoon to accommodate the evacuees coming from lahar and flood prone areas here.

        “We’re facing logistical nightmare but better prepared than sorry. We will be enforcing mandatory evacuation of 236,000 to ensure “zero casualty,” Albay Gov. Joey Salceda was quoted as saying.

        He said those at risk from lahar and mudflows are some 50, 350 villagers from the towns of Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga,  Sto. Domingo, Malilipot and the cities of Ligao and Legazpi.  These are areas located around Mayon volcano; while 185,750 residents are from the towns of Polangui, Libon,  Manito, Tiwi, Bacacay, Rapu-Rapu, Sto Domingo, Camalig, Pio Duran, identified as flood, landslide, and storm surge-prone areas.

        The governor added the provincial government would be enforcing police power as pre-emptive measures based on the directive of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and of the National Disaster Coordinating Council.

        The provincial government estimated that it would be spending P600,000 a day for 236,000 evacuees or P1.8 million for three days, the governor said.

        At least 10,076 families or 56,000 people living within the lahar prone areas covering the towns of Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga, Sto Domingo and the three cities of Legazpi, Ligao and Tabaco while 180,000 persons more across Albay province were placed at risk from lahar flow, flooding, storm surges and landslide should typhoon hit Albay province.

Early evacuation
        With the early start of the evacuation, Dr. Anthony Golez, deputy administrator of the National Disaster Coordinating Center in Manila said officials are optimistic that a full evacuation of those in hazard areas would be completed before Friday.

        Salceda arrived at the Office of Civil Defense while the core group of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council was conducting an emergency meeting to check its readiness relative to the threatening typhoon.

        Albay province was forecast to be hit by typhoon Mina as it continued to move westward towards the general direction of the Bicol region with 600-kms radius with maximum sustained winds of 120 to 170kph.

        Hernando “Jun” Pantua, PAGASA weatherman chief in Bicol told Bicol Mail that typhoon Mina was expected to gain strength of at least 160 kph on Friday, accompanied by heavy rains that may cause heavy flooding in low lying areas.

        “If the direction will not change it will generate more rain,” Pantua told Bicol Mail.

        Accordingly, Salceda warned the residents in all coastal barangays of the province of possible storm surges and strong winds that might blow down houses made of light materials.

        “Residents of higher slope areas are advised to be alert for landslides due to heavy rain that may accompany the storm”, Salceda said.

        He explained that they are also activating all municipal and city disaster officials for them to prepare disaster response.

        “BDCC’s are also hereby instructed to convene before the situation becomes severe and oversee evacuation activities in their respective areas and coordination with the municipal and city disaster officials should be maintained at all times,” Salceda pointed out.

Volcanic debris
        Ed Laguerta, Phivolcs resident chief in Bicol told members of the RDCC that continuous heavy rains would trigger remobilization of volcanic debris, particularly in the towns of Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga, Sto. Domingo and the three cities of Legazpi, Ligao and Tabaco.

        Laguerta also warned the residents living within the northern side of Mayon volcano, specifically in Masarawag areas somewhere in Tabaco City, not to be complacent as lahar flow might hit the villages due to heavy rains.

        “We’re strictly informing the villagers in the Northern side of Mt. Mayon to be on guard always because rampaging lahar from the slope of volcano might occur in case of heavy rains like in the case of Maipon village in Guinobatan which was almost wiped out by lahar during the typhoon November last year,” he said.

        As the RDCC meeting is being held, floodings were reported in Padang village in this city but water subsided after several hours. Some volcanic materials dredged earlier by the Department of Public Works and Highways were again being dredged at the site, the DPWH reported.

        Col. Romel Ronda, chief of the Philippine Air Force in Bicol reported at least two choppers are on standby to be used for any eventuality.

Trucks standing by
        Several military trucks were also reported on standby at Camp Gen. Simeon Ola for mandatory evacuation of 236,000 people in various parts of the province.

        As this developed, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Albay led by Vice Gov. Brando Sael gave the green light to Gov. Salceda to use the remaining calamity funds for pre-disaster operation.

        The provincial board also declared the 22 barangays of Camalig town under the state of calamity following heavy floods. At least 200 families or 902 persons temporarily staying at Baligang Elementary School have been reported needing support and assistance.

        Presently, more than 8,000 families remain homeless across Albay after super typhoon Reming hit Bicol last November 30 in 2006.

        Bicol was devastated by two super typhoons (Milenyo and Reming) last year, which wrought havoc to more than two million people or 458,632 families in the region, destroying 300,000 houses. Typhoon Reming alone killed more than 1,000 people due to mudflows and floods.

        Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) expects “Mina” to further intensify into a supertyphoon before it reaches landfall on Virac, Catanduanes Friday. GMA Flash Report said Pagasa expects the storm to gain strength as it moves closer to Bicol, as it warned of landslides and flashfloods due to widespread rains over the region. As of 2 a.m. Wednesday, “Mina” was estimated at 1,030 kilometers east of Bicol region, packing maximum winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of 80 kph. Pagasa forecasts the storm to move west at the speed of 22 kph and hit the region on Friday. With reports by Mar Arguelles and GMANews.TV