Ofel brings heavy rain, flooding in Bicol

Tropical Depression Ofel brought heavy rainfall to the Bicol Region starting Tuesday night, causing floods and landslides in provinces like Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and Albay.

The Office of Civil Defense directed local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils to activate emergency operation centers and implement response plans, including pre-emptive evacuations.

Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara ordered localized evacuations in flood- and landslide-prone areas ahead of the storm's arrival.

Cedric Daep, chief of Albay’s Public Safety Emergency and Management Office, warned that moderate to heavy rains could endanger communities prone to floods, lahar, and landslides.