22 families trapped in river flood rescued

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – The Sipalay Emergency Assistance and Rescue Services (SEARS) in Negros Occidental launched a rescue operation after 22 families were trapped in their houses amid a river flood at Barangay Mambaroto last Wednesday.

Executive Assistant Dionilo Bogtae, head of the Public Safety and SEARS, said the water level at Sipalay river increased when heavy rains occurred on Tuesday night.

It prompted them to place the river under close monitoring for possible flood until they received a call for assistance the following day, when the water level reached the windows of the three houses situated near the river.

The water level rose to three meters high, destroying their properties, Bogtae said.

Bogtae said 12 SEARS personnel crossed a 50-meter wide river to evacuate them to a safer ground.

“We were ready even before we received the call, thus we immediately responded,” he added. The rescue operation lasted for one hour.

Most of the rescued individuals were children, with youngest at seven months old, he said.

He said the evacuated residents were temporarily sheltered at their relatives and were provided food assistance.

He said residents started to build their houses there since the area has not been flooded for so long until recently.