CEBU FLOODS. Heavy equipment is submerged in floodwaters in Barangay Poblacion, Tuburan, a north-western town of Cebu province. The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office monitored flooding in at least 30 villages in six local government units in Cebu province on Wednesday (Dec. 2, 2020) due to rainfalls caused by thunderstorms. (Photo courtesy of Johnley Bayking)
CEBU CITY – Heavy rains caused by thunderstorms on Wednesday flooded 30 villages in six local government units in Cebu province which led to the evacuation of hundreds of families, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said.
According to the PDRRMO report, inundated LGUs were Danao City and Compostela town in northern Cebu and the towns of Tuburan, Asturias, and Balamban on the province's western part.
Also, the municipality of Poro in the Camotes Islands of the province’s eastern seaboard was flooded.
The PDRRMO reported that 27-year old Waren Jay Almaden was swept away by floodwaters along with his motorcycle in Barangay Lawaan, Danao City on Wednesday morning.
Almaden’s remains were found in the afternoon at a nearby river in Sta. Rosa while his motorcycle was recovered near a spillway of Oguis village.
Rolan Reyes, head of the Danao City’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), told reporters that more than 20 families were evacuated to nearby Tabok covered court due to flooding in seven barangays -- Oguis, Guinacot, Poblacion, Taboc, Taytay, Suba, and Bayabas.
In Tuburan, the PDRRMO received a report on flooding in 13 villages (Colonia, Fortaleza, Sangi, Jagbuaya, Manga, Otso, Caridad, Marmol, Mag-atubang, Mag-Alwa, Mag-Antoy, Amatugan ug Languyon), displacing 2,610 village folks, 1,735 families, and 683 households.
The PDRRMO also said 156 families or 680 individuals in the barangays of Bago, New Bago, and Sta. Lucia in Asturias town were affected due to the overflown Sangi river. Residents in Poblacion and Barangay Owak also complained of flooding.
Barangays Nangka and Cantood were flooded in Balamban which was caused by the overflown main river of the town.
Balamban Mayor Alex Binghay, in a radio report, said heavy rains and high tide caused a river to overflow, affecting more than a hundred households in three barangays.
“Dunay (there was) a barangay captain that told me nga sila (they) are still experiencing rains in the upland areas,” he said, adding that the municipal office is now verifying reports about landslides in the upland villages.
In Compostela, the villages of Estaca and Dapdap were flooded.
The village of Teguis in Poro was flooded, but the PDRRMO reported no displaced families.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on Wednesday ordered the province’s Social Welfare office to determine the assistance for the flood victims.
“We have enough budget for the assistance of LGUs. For the 2020 budget appropriated for infrastructure, over PHP4 billion for roads alone and PHP1 billion for flood control,” she said.
Jhomer Eclarino, a weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in Mactan, said two weather systems have been affecting Cebu – trough or extension of the low pressure area (LPA) spotted east of Sorsogon and the presence of the tail end of a frontal system.
“We can expect heavy rains in case of thunderstorms or convected clouds,” he said.
Pagasa-Mactan recorded 36 millimeters (mm) of rainfall from Wednesday dawn until 8 a.m. of the same day. (PNA)
