Typhoon Yolanda, the most powerful tyhoon on record, spared Negros Oriental as it barreled across the country Friday.
Aside from the expected swelling of the Banica and other rivers as well as the toppling over of trees which cut off electric power in many parts of the island, there were hardly any reports of heavy damage to property.
No casualties were also reported, although a fisherman from barangay Polo, Tanjay City, was reportedly swept away by strong currents towards Sumilon Island around noon Friday, when the storm was passing closest to Negros.
The fisherman, Junior Regala, about 60 years old, was spotted by a security guard of the Sibulan port as the Regala’s sailboat was hurtling by, but the guard failed to stop him. Regala continued drifting towards the southern tip of Cebu island until he could no longer be seen, according to a report from a radio amateur the Negros Oriental Radio Amateurs of District 7, Inc. (NORAD-7).
Other than that, there seemed to be no excitement, as rescuers sat glued to their TV screens at both the City and Provincial Risk-Reduction & Management Council command centers, while others tried to catch on their sleep.
By Friday afternoon, barely five hours after the critical period ended, Gov. Roel Degamo ordered the deactivation of the Provincial Command Center.
Degamo said there was no continued need for the Provincial Command Center for Typhoon Yolanda as the critical stage had passed and the localities have been able to effectively manage the situation.
The Governor, however, reminded key offices and agencies involved in emergency response such as the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police, to remain on standby alert.
More than 5000 persons transferred to evacuation centers to wait for the Typhoon. Judith Chaves, one of the evacuees at the Amador Dagudag Memorial School in barangay Looc, said she did not wait to be asked to evacuate. “We came here Thursday to seek shelter after we learned our lesson from Typhoon Pablo,” she said.
Over by the City Hall, Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria continued tot monitor the weather condition in his office, working closely with Engr. Jose Chu, head of the City Disaster Risk-Reduction Management Council.
At the Provincial Capitol, Provincial DRRMC Executive Director Adrian Sedillo said that based on reports reaching them, the situation seemed normal even after the lapse of the critical period.
It was the second time in a week for the Provincial DRRMC to go on alert. The first being last Monday, after Tropical Depression Wilma threatened to make a direct hit on Dumaguete City. Wilma dissipated into a Low Pressure Area by Monday afternoon.
