By Paulo Loreto Lim

Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-Region VI (RDRRMC-6) chair Jose Roberto Nuñez held a press conference yesterday as Tropical Storm Urduja brought heavy rains throughout the region over the weekend.

“RDRRMC-6 is currently on ‘red alert status’ in order to facilitate a coordinated monitoring and response operations in the whole of Western Visayas,” he said.

Under a red alert status, all offices are expected to report to the main office on a 24-hour basis.

He also noted, Capiz has been hit particularly hard, with flooding reported in Roxas City, Dumalag, Sigma, Maayon, and Pan-ay.

The regional official also reported 236 families have been evacuated from the province.

As of press time, 496 families have been displaced throughout Panay.

As of Sunday afternoon, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecasted widespread rains across Aklan, Capiz, and Antique.

While Nuñez reported no casualties on Panay as of press time, the storm has claimed 26 lives across the Eastern Visayas, with another 23 missing./PLL, WDJ