DUMAGUETE CITY – More than 2,000 individuals were evacuated in Negros Oriental due to flooding triggered by torrential rains brought about by the southwest monsoon or habagat over the weekend.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office also reported the death of one person who was found floating off Apo Island on Sunday due to the inclement weather.
A total of 491 families or 2,028 individuals from Siaton (146 families/511 individuals); Sta. Catalina (122 families/433 individuals); Zamboanguita (3 families/8 individuals); Bayawan City (378 households/201 families/1,001 individuals); and Canlaon City (19 families/65 individuals) were taken to safer grounds, according to the PDRRMO report.
Aside from heavy rains, Canlaon City also had to deal with the restive Mt. Kanlaon.
Some roads and bridges in the towns of Amlan, Bayawan City, La Libertad, Mabinay, Bais City, Ayungon and Pamplona were rendered impassable during the weekend. Some of them have been reopened hours later.
Sea travel to and from Negros Oriental was canceled during the weekend, stranding hundreds of passengers in the provinces of Bohol and Siquijor, Dumaguete City and Apo Island.
Flooding was reported in Barangays Fatima, Poblacion, Amio, San Pedro, and Amio in Sta. Catalina; Lutuban, Mayabon, and Basak in Zamboanguita; Albiga, Canaway, Sumaliring, Poblacion 4, Poblacion 3, and Mantuyop in Siaton; Nangka, Kalumbuyan, Poblacion, San Jose, and Banga, in Bayawan City; andLinothangan and Lumapao in Canlaon City.
Landslides were also reported in Bayawan City (Barangays Nangka, Kalumbuyan, Ali-is,Tabuan, and Tayawan); Sta. Catalina (Barangays Amio, Nagbalaye, and San Pedro); Mabinay (Barangay Dahile); Valencia (Barangay Malaunay); Siaton (Bonawon).
Meanwhile, Gov. Manuel Sagarbarria declared the lifting of work suspension effective Monday except for some areas still affected or threatened by rains and flooding.
The governor’s order, released Sunday afternoon, also said that classes at all levels across the province remain suspended Monday.
The PDRRM Council convened Monday to discuss the current situation in the province and to re-assess its response in previous days while preparing for more stormy weather amid tropical depression Gener. (PNA)