Super Typhoon Pepito forces evacuation of 177K Bicol residents

As Super Typhoon Pepito threatens the Bicol Region, 177,189 individuals from six provinces have been evacuated to safety centers as of Saturday morning.

OCD-5 spokesperson Gremil Alexis Naz expects the number of evacuees to continue increasing as local government units report updates.

Albay has evacuated the highest number of residents with 80,804 individuals, followed by Sorsogon with 54,809 evacuees, Camarines Sur with 20,648, Catanduanes with 11,002, Masbate with 6,035, and Camarines Norte with 3,891.

Local government units have implemented various measures, including a province-wide curfew in Sorsogon and the distribution of rice and hygiene kits to affected municipalities.

As of Saturday morning, 1,957 passengers and 723 rolling cargoes remain stranded in ports across the region due to Pepito.