• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
At least 6,797 people have been forced to take shelter in evacuation centers as heavy rains brought by southwest monsoon enhanced by Tropical Storm Crising affected 13 towns and cities in Negros Occidental for the second day on Friday (July 18), the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) said in a report.
Two people have died of electrocution in Hinobaan town while a fisherman was reported missing in Sagay City, it added.
Kabankalan City registered the most number of evacuated residents at 1,613 as of 11 a.m. on Friday.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said most of the local government units (LGUs) in the fifth and sixth districts experienced flooding while evacuation of affected residents were ongoing in the afternoon.
Lacson said he expects that some of LGUs, which were heavily affected by floods, will declare a state of calamity.
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Irene Bel Ploteña said a flashflood in Pontevedra on Friday stalled travel of vehicles.
Evacuation of affected residents were ongoing in Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Isabela, Moises Padilla and Himamaylan City.
Fifth District Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo said a landslide occurred along a secondary national road, which connects La Castellana, Negros Occidental to Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
Volcanic debris from Mt. Kanlaon were also reported to have flowed into a river in Barangay Biak Na Bato in La Castellana.
Yulo said all the towns and cities in his district, including La Castellana, the hardest hit by the Kanlaon Volcano eruption, along with Moises Padilla, Isabela, Hinigaran, Binalbagan, and Himamaylan City experienced flooding.
Two houses were carried away by strong current in Crossing Magallon and Poblacion 1 in Moises Padilla.
Other LGUs hit by floods were La Carlota City, Kabankalan City, Sipalay City, Pontevedra, Hinobaan, Cauayan, Ilog, Candoni, and Calatrava.
Pedro Limpangog, president of the Federation of Irrigators’ Associations Central Negros-Bago River Irrigation System, said about 3,000 hectares of ricefields were affected by floods in Barangays Sagasa and Caridad in Bago City, and Barangay Ayungon in Valladolid.
Classes have remained cancelled in 24 LGUs across Negros Occidental while some localities also suspended work on Friday.
Fastcraft Ocean Jet suspended trips for Bacolod-Iloilo-Bacolod and Dumaguete-Siquijor-Tagbilaran. | GB
