Almost 800 families in Valencia City in Bukidnon province Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte and Palawan were evacuated from their homes because of heavy rains brought by Tropical

Storm Auring (international codename: Sonamu), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Friday.

Risk Reduction Council Chairman Benito Ramos said that the floods in Quezon and Bataraza, Palawan reached up to three feet.

According to the agency, 791 families or 1,405 persons were evacuated to their designated evacuation centers in Valencia, Bukidnon, Dipolog and Palawan. At least 130 families were from Quezon and Bataraza. Of the 130 families evacuated from their homes, 100 families or 300 people were from Bataraza, while 30 families or 100 people were from Quezon.

Flooding incidents were also reported in Iraan village in Rizal, Palawan; in Valencia, Bukidnon, which affected 57 people; and in Asuncion, Davao del Norte, affecting 10 villages.

As of 6 p.m. on Thursday, 395 stranded passengers, three vessels, one motor launch, one motorboat and two motor bancas, were stranded in Puerto Princesa City and Coron Ports, Palawan. Six typhoon-ravaged houses were reported in Municipality of Roxas and Katipunan, Dipolog City, the Disaster agency said.

Some roads in Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), which includes Kalikan, Piñan Bridge, Katipunan National Highway, Mia Sans Dicayo Bridge, Piao and Tangian Bridge, are impassable due to high water level.

Malacañang on Friday said that the government is ready with standby funds and supplies for storm relief.

Palace deputy spokesman Abigail Valte said that quick response teams from the government are on standby to respond to communities needing assistance.

Valte said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development has some P500,000 worth of standby funds and P1.3-million worth of relief supplies ready to be released in Region IV-B.

Meanwhile, Auring continue to move away from the Philippines. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Friday that the storm was last located 330 kilometers southwest of Puerto Princesa. It would be 930km southwest of Puerto Princesa, outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by Saturday morning.

However, Pagasa has spotted another weather disturbance east of Mindanao. It could turn into a low-pressure area and is expected to enter the PAR over the weekend after Auring’s exit.

Weather forecasters also clarified that the cloud formation’s chances of becoming a cyclone is weak, but it could intensify as it moves closer to the country’s area of responsibility. Parts of Mindanao should expect rain in the coming week if the cloud formation becomes a low-pressure area.

With a report from  Catherine S. Valente