A woman waits to be evacuated in Barangay Cogon Pardo in Cebu City on Thursday, December 16, 2021. Cebu City is placed under Signal No. 3 as Typhoon Odette is expected to hit the city on Thursday evening. CDN Digital photo | Delta Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Families living in the coastal sitios of Barangay Cogon Pardo and Basak Pardo, Cebu City, were evacuated on Thursday morning, December 16, 2021, as a preemptive measure for the coming of Typhoon Odette.
Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak led the evacuation of the residents at the Tagunol Bridge. The families will be brought to the Don Vicente Rama Elementary School.
“Naay uban nga gahi lang gihapon kaayo, di gyod mobawkit. Ato lang gyod sila gibalik-balik og convince,” said Tumulak.
One of the evacuees of Sitio Tayud, Jebemay Dijos, said that they decided to leave because of the impending threat of the storm.
She said their family had young children who needed to be protected.
“Una lang gyod mig evacuate kay mosaka ra ba gyod ang tubig didto,” she told CDN Digital.
Similarly, Carmelito Restauro, 49, was chanced upon CDN Digital evacuating her home in Sitio All Four Seasons.
She said that the when the water rises, the flood rises into their homes and this would cause danger to their children, seniors, and pregnant women.
However, many of the residents stayed in their homes for fear of losing their properties.
Debra Carrisma, 52, said she and her neighbors are not leaving yet as they chose to assess the storm first.
“Magpaniid lang usa mi og mokusog ang ulan, mobakwit mi,” she said.
They fear that thieves will take their properties if they leave their houses behind. Most men in the sitios will also stay to protect their properties.
Tumulak urged families to evacuate now before the storm hits hard in the coastal and riverside areas.
The brunt of the storm is expected tp be felt in Cebu on Thursday evening.
/bmjo
READ MORE: 39 areas in Cebu placed under Storm Signal No. 3 as #OdettePH further intensifies