Typhoon Quinta displaces more than 95,000 inhabitants of Bicol

LEGAZPI CITY – Typhoon Quinta (international name: Molave) forced the evacuation of at least 25,287 families or 95,859 people from many parts of the Bicol region on Sunday night.

The typhoon made landfall for the first time on San Miguel Island in the city of Tabaco at 6:10 pm and struck the city of Malinao at 6:50 pm, both in Albay.

The Civil Defense Office – Bicol reported that as of 11:30 pm on Sunday, 2,707 families or 10,231 people were evacuated in three locations in Albay; seven families or 36 people in Camarines Norte; 835 families (3,309 people) in Catanduanes; 1,199 families (2,929 people) in Masbate, 3,088 families (7,446 people) in Sorsogon and 183 families (743 people) in Naga city.

In Camarines Sur, Estel Estropia, spokesman for the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office, said that at 5:30 am on Monday, 17,268 families or 71,165 people took refuge in evacuation sites and private residences.

Hours before landfall, the electricity supply was cut off in the province of Albay.

In the city of Legazpi, the floods submerged numerous houses, said Mayor Noel Rosal.

Meanwhile, 569 passengers, 266 trucks, eight light vehicles, 42 boats and two motorized benches were stranded in various ports of Bicol.