Two persons died while more than 13,500 families were displaced by floods that submerged several localities in northern Negros over the weekend.
In Silay City, the body of Marvito Lumandog, 43, was found on Saturday morning in Hacienda San German, Barangay Guimbala-on.
He was hit by a fallen structure from his house during the downpour on Friday night.
On Sunday afternoon, the body of Ulysses Escamilla, 50, was recovered in a creek at Purok Santan, Barangay Zone 11 in Talisay City.
Initial police investigation showed that the victim was last seen having a drinking session with his friends.
Last weekend’s floods were the second to hit northern Negros in only a week after the flashfloods on New Year’s Day that left one dead and affected some 15,000 families.
Also in Silay, a total of 15,671 individuals from 4,926 families were affected. This time 14 barangays were flooded from only 10 on Jan 1.
Sergie Golez, deputy head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said they will push for the declaration of state of calamity in Silay considering the extent of the damage this time around.
Initial assessment showed that nine bridges in Barangays E. Lopez, Hawaiian, Guimbala-on and Bagtic were damaged.
More structures were damaged last weekend due to the strong current of floodwater from the mountains unlike on Jan. 1 when more residents in the urban area were affected because heavy rains were met by a high tide, he said.
In Victorias City, 17 barangays went under water, affecting 6,066 individuals from 1,231 families while in Talisay City, 13,308 people from 2,908 families were displaced. Some 11 houses were destroyed and 25 others were damaged in Talisay.
Both Victorias and Talisay cities have respectively declared a state of calamity last week, based on the damage reports from the New Year’s Day floods.
In E.B. Magalona, Mayor Marvin Malacon said more barangays were also affected this time for a total of 11.
Some 16,870 individuals from 3,339 families were evacuated to schools and health centers.
As of Sunday morning, 70 families still preferred to stay in the evacuation centers since some areas in Barangay Latasan were still flooded.
In Cadiz City, Mayor Salvador Escalante said that seven barangays were affected, displacing 162 households who sought shelter in schools and daycare centers.
The Sicaba River overflowed causing floods in Barangays Sicaba, Luna, Burgos, Daga, Mabini, Tinampaan and Tiglawigan.
Only one village was affected in neighboring Manapla town.
In Sagay City, 13 barangays were also flooded. Some 941 families were affected, of which 304 were brought to the various evacuation centers in Barangays Paraiso, Malubon and Fabrica.
Also in Escalante City, a family of five was rescued in Sitio Varca, Barangay Jonob-jonob, where floods on the national road rendered the highway impassable for several hours on Saturday morning. – MML
