Aurora. INQUIRER FILES
Typhoon Nika (international name: Toraji) has forced the evacuation of 1,834 families鈥攖otaling 5,244 individuals鈥攊n Aurora Province as of 11:00 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11.
Heavy rains and powerful winds brought by the storm have left residents seeking shelter in safer areas.
In a phone interview, Elson Egargue, head of the Aurora Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said authorities initially evacuated 648 families, or 1,852 individuals, as a precaution. However, as Typhoon Nika made landfall in Dilasag, many more residents fled their homes, fearing worsening conditions.
Most evacuees come from Dilasag and the nearby towns of Casiguran and Dinalungan in the northern part of the province.
鈥淭hese three towns have been severely hit by strong winds and heavy rains, leading to widespread power outages,鈥� said Egargue.
Nika further intensified as it made its landfall in Dilasag, Aurora, at 8:10 a.m.
The towns of Dilasag and Casiguran in Aurora are placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 4. Dinalungan is under Signal No. 3; Dipaculao, Maria, and Baler are under Signal No. 2, while Dingalan and San Luis are under Signal No. 1. INQ