‘Crising’ displaces over 16,000 Negrenses amid floods

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Nonstop rains and flooding triggered by the southwest monsoon, intensified by Tropical Storm Crising, forced at least 16,580 Negrenses in central and southern Negros Occidental to evacuate over the weekend.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) reported that residents from 13 towns and cities were evacuated on Friday due to flash floods.

Of the total, 10,589 evacuees are currently staying in evacuation centers in their respective local government units.

Binalbagan was the hardest hit, with 9,021 individuals affected and 571 in evacuation centers.

In Hinigaran, 5,450 individuals were affected, with 555 in evacuation centers.

Kabankalan City had 4,239 affected residents, with 3,526 sheltered in evacuation centers.

In Sipalay City, 2,024 were affected, 1,912 of whom are in evacuation sites.

Isabela reported 1,574 affected residents, including 1,426 in evacuation centers.

In Cauayan, 779 people were affected, with 771 in evacuation centers.

Candoni reported 615 affected individuals, 139 of whom were evacuated.

Pontevedra had 567 affected residents, with 495 in shelters.

Himamaylan City had 489 evacuees, and all are in evacuation centers.

Hinoba-an reported 462 affected residents, with 332 taking shelter.

Ilog had 219 affected residents, all of whom were in evacuation centers.

As of Sunday morning in Moises Padilla, more than 238 households, or 939 individuals, had decamped from various evacuation centers.

Families whose homes were totally damaged have been transferred to the Municipal Evacuation Center in Barangay 6 Poblacion.

Mayor Ella Celestina D. Garcia-Yulo and Vice Mayor Pimpoy Yulo expressed their gratitude to frontliners, volunteers, donors, and everyone who helped ensure the safety and comfort of evacuees.

There were also reports of landslides and impassable roads and bridges in various parts of southern Negros on Friday.

Initial PDRRMC estimates indicated significant weekend damage.

Livestock losses were pegged at PHP361,303, while damage to two hanging bridges in Isabela was estimated at PHP1 million.

Flooding also destroyed 13 houses and damaged 32 others.

As of this writing, rescuers are still searching for a 30-year-old fisherman who went missing off the coast of Sagay City on Thursday.

They are also looking for a 44-year-old ‘bachoy’ vendor who fell into an overflow in Barangay Biao, Binalbagan, on Friday.

Two people reportedly died of electrocution in Hinoba-an, while another fisherman was reported missing in Sagay City on July 17, according to the PDRRMC.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier said the 5th and 6th Districts of Negros Occidental were the hardest-hit areas by the flash floods.

Lacson said he expects some local government units severely affected by the flooding to declare a state of calamity.

Fifth District Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo reported a landslide along a secondary national road connecting La Castellana, Negros Occidental, to Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.

Volcanic debris from Mount Kanlaon was also reported to have flowed into a river in Barangay Biak na Bato, La Castellana.

Pedro Limpangog, president of the Federation of Irrigators’ Associations Central Negros – Bago River Irrigation System, reported that around 3,000 hectares of rice fields were flooded in Barangays Sagasa and Caridad in Bago City, and Barangay Ayungon in Valladolid.

As of this writing, no local government unit has declared a state of calamity.