Heavy rains and powerful winds from Tropical Depression Verbena have caused significant damage to residential structures on Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City, with multiple homes suffering partial collapses.
Extensive Damage Reported
At least 22 houses in Barangay Pangan-an on Olango Island sustained damage during the severe weather event that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, November 25, 2025. The tropical depression brought intense rainfall and strong winds that particularly affected coastal communities.
Barangay Captain Junrey Casiao confirmed that the destruction from Verbena exceeded the impact of previous weather disturbances, noting that Typhoon Tino had damaged only five houses in the same area earlier.
Coastal Communities Bear the Brunt
Casiao explained that the extensive damage resulted from two primary factors: the light construction materials used in many homes and their vulnerable positions near the coastline. Houses closest to the shore faced direct impact from winds coming from the seaside, leading to partial structural failures.
Despite initial forecasts suggesting minimal impact with the province under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number 1, the situation escalated around 1 a.m. when winds intensified, prompting emergency measures.
Preventive Evacuation and Aftermath
As a safety precaution, eight families living near the shoreline in Sitio Bonbon were evacuated from their homes when weather conditions deteriorated. The timely evacuation likely contributed to the positive outcome of no reported injuries.
Casiao provided reassurance that no significant flooding occurred in the barangay and confirmed that as of Tuesday, there were no casualties or injuries resulting from the tropical depression's passage through the area.
