Floods hit portions of Bacolod, Negros Occ

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – Heavy downpour since Friday morning brought by a low-pressure area and combined effects of the tail-end of a frontal system flooded portions of the national roads and a residential area here yesterday.

According to Executive Assistant Jomarie Vargas, cluster head of City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), the flood hit a portion of the residential area in Barangay 3, and portions of the national roads along Carvic and in front of a shopping mall in Barangay Mandalagan, Lacson Street, and the area along the flyover in Barangay Singcang-Airport, and Araneta Street.

Vargas said flood in Libertad and Central markets reached the gutter level while the water in Barangay Singcang-Airport exceeded one foot.

A car was also reportedly stranded due to the high water level in Singcang-Airport village, he said.

Six teams were dispatched to monitor and assess the situation.

Meanwhile, as of 2 p.m. yesterday, the CDRRMO also reported flooding at Purok Masinadyahon in Barangay Bata, Barangays 3 and 4, Purok Santol (Buri road) in Barangay Mandalagan, Parreno Street in Barangay 28, GK village in Barangay Banago, and Hernaez Extension in Barangay Taculing.

The CDRRMO cited the clogged waterways and overflow of flood waters from the creek as reasons for the floods in the said areas.

Despite the flooding, Vargas said that no evacuation was implemented as the water immediately subsided.

He, however, cautioned residents to be vigilant, as he added that they were expecting heavy rainfall in the evening.

Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian, chief of the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD), said that minor flooding was also reported in the cities of Talisay and Silay in Negros Occidental yesterday.

These two localities outside Bacolod suffered massive flooding recently, affecting thousands of their residents due to heavy rains on New Year’s Day.

Assessment and monitoring of various areas are ongoing.

Silay City Mayor Mark Golez said that rescuers were already on standby in case there’s a need for possible evacuation.