ILOILO — A tornado accompanied by intense rainfall swept through 10 barangays in the municipality of Lambunao on Sunday afternoon, June 15, damaging more than 200 houses and affecting hundreds of residents.
Lambunao Mayor Reynor Gonzales confirmed that the severe weather event caused partial damage to numerous homes and even a local school. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive assessment of the damage to ensure appropriate aid reaches affected families.
According to the Lambunao Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), the breakdown of damaged houses is as follows: 76 in Barangay Caninguan; 45 in Barangay Walang; 32 in Barangay San Gregorio; 31 in Barangay Maribong; 21 in Barangay Balagiao; 7 in Barangay Gines; 6 in Barangay Pasig; 4 in Barangay Alugmawa; 2 in Barangay Lumanay; and 1 in Barangay Bayuco.
A total of 225 homes were affected, displacing or impacting 867 individuals. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
In response, local authorities have begun distributing in-kind assistance, including essential supplies, to families hit by the calamity. Mayor Gonzales also stated that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 6 is preparing to deliver additional support and resources to aid the recovery efforts.
Prior to this incident, the Provincial Government, through the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), had allocated P5 million for the establishment of a Resilience Hub in Lambunao. This facility will serve as an extension of the Provincial Civil Defense Operations Center (ProCid OpCen), designed to act as a centralized command center for responding to disasters and a wide range of emergencies, including those related to climate change, food security, and public health./PN
