Cagayan PDRRMO: 8,000 evacuees might go home before Thursday night

Around 8,000 evacuees displaced by Leon in Cagayan may be finally allowed to return to their homes as weather in the province is starting to get better, the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office (PDRRMO) said Thursday.

“Yung na-evacuate natin as of noon yesterday, 8,000 individuals po sa nine municipalities ng Cagayan,” said Ruelie Rapsing, Cagayan PDRRMO head, in an interview with Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon. 

(There were 8,000 individuals from nine municipalities who evacuated as of Wednesday noon.) 

“Kung tuloy-tuloy yung sunny day ngayon and clear skies, baka pwede na natin silang pauwin bago mag-gabi po,” he added. 

(If the sunny weather and clear skies continue, we might allow them to go home before evening.) 

The Cagayan PDRRMO also said that there is still enough stockpile of essential supplies for evacuees after the province also prepared during the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine recently. 

“As to their needs, after kasi ni Tropical Storm Kristine, yung stockpile ng mga barangay and local government units natin ay hindi masyadong nagalaw, suffice pa po para suportahan ang pangangailangan ng mga evacuees natin,” said Rapsing. 

(As to their needs, our barangays and local government units still have a stockpile left after Tropical Storm Kristine. So it’s still sufficient to meet the needs of our evacuees now.) 

Mainland Cagayan is under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 as Leon weakened into a typhoon, according to state weather bureau PAGASA’s 11 a.m. bulletin.

Leon is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility either on Thursday evening or Friday morning. —VAL, GMA Integrated News