WATERLESS. Water tankers of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office deliver water Sunday (Oct. 30, 2022) to barangays in the west coast of Zamboanga City that have been waterless since Friday (Oct. 28, 2022) when the Zamboanga City Water District's distribution facility, operated by Prime Water, was affected by flooding caused by Tropical Storm Paeng and was forced to undergo emergency shutdown. Paeng left four dead from drowning and two others missing, while 10,754 families were displaced. (Photo courtesy of City Hall PIO)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The City Council has approved the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) to place this city under a state of calamity due to the devastation caused by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.
Vice Mayor Josephine Pareja said Monday that the city council, through the resolution, approved the recommendation of the CDRRMC in a special session Saturday afternoon.
The declaration will enable the city government and the affected barangays to utilize resources and address damages caused by Paeng that battered this city starting Thursday night until Friday.
Flash floods caused by Paeng left four dead from drowning and two others missing, while 10,754 families were displaced in this southern port city.
The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) under the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) said in a statement Monday that three of the four fatalities were identified as Tanya Abadies, 60; Edgardo Supil, 57; and, Liza Mae Domingo, 23.
“The identity of the fourth casualty is still being verified,” Dr. Elmeir Jade Apolinario, CDRRMO chief, said Monday.
City Social Welfare and Development Office chief Ma. Socorro Rojas reported to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) that 10,754 families with over 60,000 dependents were displaced by the flash floods.
Rojas said that the number of affected families is expected to increase as assessment is still underway for home-based families as well as those who opted to stay with relatives instead in evacuation centers.
City Agriculturist Carmencita Sanchez said Paeng destroyed 44.4 hectares of rice fields and vegetable farms with damage estimated to have reached over PHP1.8 million.
The City Engineer’s Office reported that damage to infrastructures reached over PHP121 million as of Sunday. Most of the affected infrastructures were slope protection facilities and bridges.
Mayor John Dalipe has ordered the concerned departments to provide all the necessary assistance to affected families, not only in terms of food and relief assistance but also other aid under the Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), and pave way for their return to their houses at the soonest possible time.
Dalipe also tasked the security sector to ensure law and order in the evacuation centers by making sure that no incidences of looting or violence against women and children (VAWC) will take place in the temporary shelters.
Col. Alexander Lorenzo, Zamboanga City Police Office director, said 312 policemen were deployed to secure evacuation centers.
Lorenzo said that they have not recorded looting or VAWC cases in the centers so far. (PNA)
