The video clips and photos posted on Facebook this week have been very disturbing: people wading in waist-deep waters, elderly persons being evacuated, vehicles either submerged or floating and other mishaps.
Severe tropical storm Crising (Wipha) cruised across Negros and other parts of the country, leaving on its path heavy rains and strong winds as well as frayed nerves and massive anxiety.
When the Capitol issued an advisory showing widespread heavy rainfall and flooding alert, we knew danger was coming. And as anticipated the downpour came, inundating many parts off the province, particularly the central and southern areas.
“I’ve never seen overflows so widespread across the province,” someone commented in reaction to posted Facebook photos and videos of flooding incidents, from Talisay down to the southernmost part, Hinoba-an, where a teacher-posted photos of electronic equipment and valuables mounted in table tops and other pieces of furniture should the water levels rise.
It was just a week ago when I wrote about the catastrophic flood that claimed more than 130 lives and dozens still missing in Texas and now the reality is here, glaring at our faces and testing our people’s adaptability to the limits as the nation observes National Disaster Resilience Month.
As we have learned – as early as our grade school science classes – floods mainly occur due to the inability of the ground and waterways to no longer absorb or contain water due to intense or excessive rainfall, like what Crising brought. Add to that, the debris that block the flow.
Environmentalists tell us that while erratic weather behavior maybe a thing of the recent quirk of nature, human activities contribute a large part to the reasons why floods happen.
I remember, when as a child growing up in southern Negros, I marveled at the depth and verdance of the forests which my brothers and I saw as we trained our telescope view toward the hills seen from our backyard.
Sadly, the southern upland terrain (and it’s all over the province actually) today is almost devoid of trees due to massive deforestation.
Beyond this type of human ecological abuse, there is also the massive construction in wideplains, a sure formula toward the making of flood-prone areas if environmental compliance policies are not properly observed, including on drainage and structure design issues.
In a number of cases, the waterways are altered or redirected from their natural flow, which can result to overflow when heavy volumes of water accumulate.
The price that we have to pay for development is, indeed, high, as we consider the risks and toll on lives, human security and property.
At this time of the year when monsoon winds pound communities, coastal areas are threatened, too, by climate change-induced water level rise and storm surges that may push large volumes of ocean water inland, thereby exacerbating floodings.
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May the bleak events the past days and the celebration of July as National Disaster Resilience Month be an urgent reminder for us, particularly our leaders, to be constantly vigilant and aware of mitigation measures for communities and people to be secure and safe during these unpredictable times.
We have no other choice.
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Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. (I Peter 5:7) | NWI
