Northern Negros towns and cities were again hit by floods on Friday night until early morning Saturday (Jan. 9).
The Silay City Social Welfare and Development Office reported that 193 families, composed of 730 individuals, from seven barangays evacuated to the Civic Center at the city proper.
City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer P/Col. Alexander Muñoz said that the evacuees returned to their homes after the water subsided.
More than 360 individuals from Brgys. 3,4,6 and 16 in Victorias City also evacuated to the Our Lady of Victory Parish Church while some families took temporarily shelter at the City Gym. Water level in some areas in Victorias rose to as high as six feet, the reports said.
Mayor Salvador Escalante also reported that seven barangays, including Daga, Burgos, Caduha-an, Luna, Mabini and Tinampaa-n in Cadiz City, were affected by the flooding. He said 100 persons are temporarily staying at the Daga Elementary School.
Friday night, flooding was also reported in Brgys. 3, Banago, Taculing, Mandalagan, and Bata in Bacolod City.
A portion of the national highway in Barangay Jonob-Jonob, Escalante City, was rendered impassable for several hours due to the high level of water.
The heavy rain was triggered by a low pressure area, the PAGASA reported.
Meanwhile, the police reported that 2,908 families, composed of 13,308 individuals, were affected by the flooding in Talisay City, with 11 houses destroyed and 25 other partially damaged.
The Jan. 1 flood prompted the cities of Victorias and Talisay to place their respective local government units under a state of calamity.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson encouraged all cities in the 3rd district of Negros Occidental to invest in a dredger as dredging and maintenance work of waterways will be continuous.
The dredging of water tributaries in Victorias City started Friday (Jan. 8) with the help of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The provincial government also dispatched a dredger to Talisay to help the LGU in cleaning its silted waterways. — GB
