• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Heavy rains triggered by a shear line caused flooding and landslides in parts of Negros Occidental since Jan. 31, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents.
An 87-year-old bedridden woman, Angelina Oro, was found dead Feb. 1 after their residence was submerged by flood waters in Purok River Hillside, Barangay Fabrica in Sagay City, according to a report of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Police ruled out foul play in her death as the incident was classified as drowning.
At least 37 barangays of the highly-urbanized Bacolod, as well as the cities of Sagay, Escalante, and Talisay, and Toboso, Calatrava, and E.B. Magalona towns saw at least 5,000 affected residents, majority of whom sought shelter in designated evacuation centers.
Prior to the flooding, local government units already conducted preemptive evacuations.
As the weather improved yesterday, the affected residents returned home.
Flood waters were reported, from knee-deep to as high as two meters in some affected areas.
Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco said there were several landslide incidents in sitios Magtu-od and Polopangyan, Himogaan River foot bridge, all in Barangay Bug-ang, and damage to some infrastructure projects, including foot bridges in sitios Danao and Carbon in Barangay San Isidro.
Jaojoco cancelled classes in all levels today, Feb. 2, due to the effects of shear line that triggered heavy rains.
Following the erosion of the Himogaan Bridge approach in Barangay Puey in Sagay City, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II urged residents to use the old overflow bridge, pending restoration work.
In Bacolod City, the Department of Social Services and Development distributed relief goods to 320 families, composed of 1,038 persons, affected by flash flood. | GB
