Abuyog town in Leyte declares state of calamity

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
December 30, 2011

TACLOBAN CITY  –  The Sangguniang Bayan of the municipality of Abuyog in the province of Leyte, has declared the entire municipality under State of Calamity, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Operations Center informed.

Office of Civil Defense Director Rey Gozon who is also the chairman of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Eastern Visayas said that the declaration of the entire municipality under State of Calamity would facilitate the use of DRRM Fund in order to support the affected families, damage to crops and infrastructures.

At least 3,485 residents of Abuyog were affected by the December 27 flooding caused by the low pressure area.

The flooding caused the evacuation of 697 families and the death of an 80 years old woman due to drowning. The flooding also caused great damage to agriculture and infrastructure, the Abuyog Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chaired by Mayor Bebot Traya reported.

Abuyog which is a first class municipality in the province of Leyte, is the largest coastal town on the eastern coast of the island of Leyte facing Leyte Gulf out in the Pacific Ocean.

It is bounded on the north by the town of MacArthur, on the nothwest by the town of Javier, on the south by the town of Silago, Southern Leyte and on the west by the town of Mahaplag. It is bordered on one end by a large river and inland by long mountain ranges covered with dense forests.

The town of Abuyog has a mix topographic reliefs. The mountainous area is located in the southern portion of the town and along the boundary of Mahaplag and a little portion at the western part of the town. At the seacoast are flat lowlands where densely populated barangays are located.