Over 400 residents spent their New Year at evacuation centers due to Tropical Depression Agaton but the fast-moving storm left zero casualties and minimal property damages despite having swept through parts of Bohol early Tuesday, said the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
PDRRMO chief Anthony Damalerio told dyRD Balita that their office did not receive any report on deaths and major injuries caused by Agaton although floods emerged due to torrential rains brought by the storm which prompted state weather bureau PAGASA to raise Storm Signal Number 1 over Bohol late Monday.
According to Damalerio, 231 individuals from the villages of Valladolid and Villaflor in Loboc and 197 from the villages of Cambane, Cadapdapan, Panadtaran and Lungsoda-an in Candijay were evacuated due to threats of flooding in various villages across both towns.
In Jagna, 22 residents of Barangay Alewajan and two from Barangay Naatang also sought refuge at an evacuation site as Agaton also pounded the town with downpours, said Barangay Councilor Anthony Aniscal.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development started relief efforts extending food packs, medicine and other basic necessities to the evacuees.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin issued on Tuesday, PAGASA indicated that Agaton was last spotted 185 km East Southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
The storm maintained its strength packing maximum sustained winds of up to 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 65 kph as it continued to move west at 28 kph.
Agaton made landfall over Dinagat Islands-Siargao Island area at 1 a.m. on Tuesday and headed straight towards the vicinity of Bohol.
However, the speed of the storm spared Bohol from major damages as it quickly passed through the province and was already near Bais City, Negros Oriental at 11 a.m.
At the same time, PAGASA lifted the storm signal over Bohol prompting the Philippine Coast Guard to allow sea travel from the province. (RT, AD)