- GILBERT BAYORAN
The municipality of San Enrique in Negros Occidental has been placed under a state of calamity after it was badly hit by floods from overflowing waterways, aggravated by the high tide.
The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) reported that 5,579 families, composed of 19,594 individuals, were affected in nine of the 10 barangays of San Enrique that were hit by floods.
The PSWDO also said 16 houses were destroyed and 426 others damaged.
While it was the first time that San Enrique was hit by flashfloods in recent years, Mayor Jilson Tubillara said the flooding subsided after a few hours as the waterways were cleared through the town’s river protection project.
Tubillara said the flashflood that hit San Enrique originated from Murcia, La Carlota, and a portion of Bago City.
He estimates the damage to agricultural products at P10 million, as many rice fields had already been harvested.
Food packs and other assistance were immediately distributed by the municipal government, through its Social Welfare and Development Office, to affected residents.
Tubillara added that assistance will also be given to those whose houses were damaged after assessment./GB
