SUPER Typhoon Uwan unleashed its fury across Eastern Visayas on Sunday, November 9, displacing 18,959 families or 63,826 individuals, according to a progress report released by the Police Regional Office (PRO-8).
Local government units across the region carried out preemptive evacuations, moving residents to designated evacuation centers in an effort to prevent casualties as the typhoon battered the region with powerful winds and torrential rains.
Based on PRO-8 monitoring, Northern Samar recorded the highest number of evacuees with 5,289 families (17,525 individuals), followed by Southern Leyte with 4,367 families (14,055 individuals); Biliran, 3,901 families (12,845 individuals); Eastern Samar with 2,632 families of 8,688 individuals; Samar, 2,508 families (10,208 individuals); and Leyte, 262 families (505 individuals).
In Eastern Samar, the Borongan Cathedral was opened to accommodate evacuees seeking refuge from the storm. Widespread flooding was reported in several towns, including Jipapad, Arteche, Borongan City in Eastern Samar, and Daram, Paranas, Jiabong, and Catbalogan City in Samar, where a portion of the city’s seawall sustained damage.
The roof of a covered court in Barangay Payao, Catbalogan City, was also blown away, while several fishing boats in the same coastal area were destroyed. A yet-to-be-determined number of houses — mostly made of light materials — were damaged or destroyed in San Sebastian, Samar; Villaba and Baybay City in Leyte; and Naval, Biliran. In Northern Samar, several homes in Laoang and Catarman were also reported damaged.
