In a massive response to the looming threat of Super Typhoon Pepito, over 491,000 people from the Bicol region have been evacuated to safety. The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol reported that 137,726 families, totaling 491,047 individuals, have been moved to evacuation centers across the six provinces of the region. The evacuation numbers are expected to rise as local government units continue to report their figures.
Albay has seen the highest number of evacuees with 363,271 individuals from 107,031 families, followed by Sorsogon with 86,200 individuals from 19,064 families. Other provinces affected include Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, and Masbate, each reporting significant numbers of evacuees.
In Sorsogon, a province-wide curfew has been enforced to ensure the safety of residents, with all public and private vehicles barred from the roads except for emergency and essential services. The province has also distributed rice and hygiene kits to 14 municipalities and one city. Governor Edwin Boby Hamor has personally inspected the readiness of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices across Sorsogon.
The Philippine Coast Guard in Bicol reported that 1,957 passengers, 723 rolling cargoes, and two vessels are currently stranded at various ports in the region. The majority of these are at ports in Sorsogon and Masbate.
Super Typhoon Pepito, with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph and gusts up to 230 kph, was last located 185 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar, and 250 km east of Juban, Sorsogon, moving west-northwestward at 25 kph.