Another massive flood kills 1, affects almost 14,000 families in Negros Occ.

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – The second wave of massive flooding that hit more localities in the northern part of Negros Occidental left one dead and affected almost 14,000 families composed of more than 52,000 individuals, as of 2PM of January 10, 2021.

4,926 families were affected in Silay City, 121 families in Cadiz City, 3,339 families in E.B. Magalona town, 3,101 families in Talisay City, 1,231 families in Victorias City, 15 families in Escalante City, and 941 families in Sagay City.

No evacuation was reported in Manapla town.

Most of the evacuees already returned to their houses while some are still in the villages’ evacuation centers while assessment is ongoing.

The flashfloods caused by torrential rains since Friday also initially destroyed 32 houses and damaged 173 others in the cities of Talisay, Silay, Cadiz, Escalante, and Sagay, based on the records from the Provincial Incident Commander Center.

The lone casualty in the flooding was reported in Barangay Guimbalaon, Silay City, after his house made of light materials collapsed due to erosion.

Silay City Mayor Mark Golez identified the fatality as 43-year-old Marvito Lumanog, who was found dead Saturday morning. The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) reported a minor landslide in the area.

Also, the CDRRMO reported that the flood damaged PHP52,000 worth of crops, 10 fishponds (PHP442,000 worth of damage), and fishing equipment worth PHP346,000.

A total of 18,185 hectares of crops were damaged.

Around PHP1.7-million worth of rice crops were damaged affecting 243 farmers in the city.

Golez said this is even worse than the New Year’s Day flooding, as many bridges and infrastructures in the city were damaged by the flood.

Also, a portion of the road going to Catabla Baybay in Barangay Zone 3 in Talisay City was also affected.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson urged local government units to have their own dredger, especially those prone to heavy flooding during the rainy season, to prevent a similar incident.

On New Year’s Day, thousands of residents in the northern part of the province also suffered massive flooding due to heavy rains and high tide.

The provincial government has already sent equipment to some of the affected localities to help them in the dredging of waterways to prevent the same incident.

In fact, Third District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez has coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the amphibious excavator to tackle the dredging and cleaning up of the waterways in the said part of the province.

The DPWH has launched its Maintenance Dredging Program in Victorias City last week.

According to the governor, flooding caused by heavy rains has been affecting and causing damages in agricultural lands and residential areas in the Third District, particularly in Victorias City, that is why dredging must be a continuing operation to revive the natural waterways.

The dredging project started at Carugiat River to Malihaw and Magnanod Rivers.

This is to address clogged waterways in the third district.

Meanwhile, #NegrosNeedsHelp trended on Twitter over the weekend, as netizens appealed for help for the flood victims in the province.