Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 18) – The entire Samar Island is now under a state of calamity after the status was raised over Samar province due to the impact of heavy rains.
The Samar Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said 256 out of 951 barangays have been affected by flooding as of Tuesday afternoon, while landslides were reported in 22 barangays.
The office said affected areas are located in the towns of Basey, Sta. Rita, Calbiga, Gandara, San Jorge, Tarangnan, Matuguinao, and in the cities of Calbayog and Catbalogan.
According to authorities, flooding directly affected 214,160 residents, of whom nearly 92,000 – or 20,645 families – have been evacuated.
Meanwhile, the provincial agriculture office reported that damage to the sector was estimated at over ₱214 million, with more than 7,500 hectares of partially or totally damaged farmland.
Eastern Samar has been under a state of calamity since last week, while the declaration was made in Northern Samar just this Monday.
The three Samar provinces have been badly hit by severe rainfall due to the low pressure area and the shear line that triggered floods lasting for several days.
