Typhoon Danas forces evacuation in N. Luzon

Typhoon Danas remains outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), but its trough and interaction with the southwest monsoon are affecting several areas in Luzon, bringing floods and landslides to the northern parts of the country.

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On Friday, landslides in Virac, Catanduanes and Itogon, Benguet occurred due to heavy rains, forcing the evacuation of residents, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), which is leading a coordinated disaster response across northern and central Luzon, said yesterday.

The OCD-Cordillera Administrative Region is working closely with the Itogon Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office of Benguet to assist affected families and manage clearing operations.

Of the affected households, five families are currently taking shelter at Acupan Elementary School in Virac serving as an evacuation center.

Eight other families have been accommodated by relatives in nearby communities. The rest are staying temporarily with neighbors or friends while authorities monitor the situation.

Clearing efforts are ongoing, with responders focusing on removing debris and redirecting water pathways to prevent further landslides.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) delivered family food packs to 235 families affected by flooding in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur.

This response is part of a broader effort to support communities across Region I, Region III, and the Cordillera Administrative Region, where more than 3,700 families have been affected by the combined effects of intensified monsoon rains and the enhanced weather disturbance.

The OCD said this is the second landslide to hit Acupan in less than two weeks.

A previous incident on June 22 claimed the lives of three small-scale miners and displaced 44 families, prompting local officials to heighten monitoring and enforce preemptive evacuations in high-risk zones.