Laguna de Bay overflows; families forced to evacuate

The Laguna de Bay overflowed on Sunday as rains brought about by Typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) caused the water level to rise 6 feet higher, forcing nearby residents to seek refuge in evacuation centers.

A total of 763 families or close to 3,000 individuals have been displaced. Some 800 individuals are housed in one evacuation center in Barangay Palingon in Taguig, making it difficult to implement social distancing measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Lahat ng nasa evacuation po, may face mask po kaso siyempre, ang hirap pa rin pong pagsabihan lahat ng tao. Talagang hahabaan pa natin pasensya natin," a barangay official said in a report on GMA's "24 Oras Weekend" on Sunday.

Malakas na ang hampas ng alon at umapaw na ang Laguna de Bay. Kaya baha na sa ilang lugar dito Sa Laguna. Sabi ng mga opisyal ng Barangay Linga, Calamba, nasa 6 feet ang tinaas ng lawa. #RollyPH @gmanews pic.twitter.com/0KuKbWbdTZ

— Darlene Cay (@DarleneCay) November 1, 2020

The latest data showed that the evacuation center in Barangay Palingon took in 200 families or 786 individuals. No additional information was immediately available.

Typhoon Rolly weakened into a typhoon before noon on Sunday, but still poses a threat as a number of areas remain under various tropical cyclone wind signals. It has made four landfalls so far, the latest being in Lobo, Batangas at 5:30 p.m.

At least seven fatalities have been reported, all in Albay.  — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA News