By Froilan Gallardo, Special Correspondent .
RESCUERS waded through waist-deep waters to get to the flood-stricken residents in Tandag City and the province of Surigao del Sur today.
This as Tropical Storm “Auring” continues its erratic movement along the eastern coastline of the Caraga region.
In its 11am report today, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Administration (Pagasa) said tropical “Auring”, still packing 65 kilometers per hour winds in its center, is expected to make landfall between Samar and Leyte tonight.
Flash floods inundated parts of Tandag City this morning forcing residents to seek shelter in evacuation centers.
Surigao del Sur Gov. Alexander Pimentel earlier ordered preemptive evacuation of 12,000 residents Saturday ahead of the tropical storm’s landfall.
Army 401st Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Allan Hambala said Army soldiers and policemen evacuated some 1,003 families from 10 barangays in Tandag City Sunday morning.
Hambala said more than 3,602 families were also evacuated from the towns of Lanuza, Cortes, Carmen, Tago, Madrid and Cantilan towns.
3rd Special Forces Battalion Civil Military Office Lt. Krisjuper Andreo Punzalan said they have evacuated 347 families from the towns of Barobo, San Agustin, Lianga and Marihatag.
Punzalan said another 584 families were evacuated in Cagwait town.
“We are experiencing moderate to strong winds right now. The rain is also intermittent,” Hambala said.
Hambala said landslides have closed down the roads from Tandag City to Lanuza town; and the stretch of highway between San Agustin to Marihatag towns.
He said light vehicles could no longer pass through the highway from Los Arcos, Prosperidad town to Lianga town in Surigao del Sur.
In Surigao City, Police Director Lt. Col. Christian Lipke Rafols II said strong gale-force winds prevented eight passenger ferries from leaving Lipata pier Saturday night.
Rafols said 575 stranded passengers spent the night at the Barangay Lipata evacuation center.
In Cagayan de Oro, unscheduled power interruptions hit the western part of Misamis Oriental as strong winds fell trees on the power lines.
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