BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – At least 144 families in Negros Occidental were affected by flooding due to heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm “Paeng” since Wednesday night, Oct. 26.
As of 8 a.m. yesterday, Negros Occidental Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) reported that eight individuals from two families in Moises Padilla town, 102 families or 524 individuals in San Carlos City, 20 families or 100 individuals in Calatrava town, and 20 families or 87 individuals in Sipalay City were evacuated.
Of the total number of evacuees, only three families in San Carlos City remained in the evacuation center as of writing.
* Barangay 1 Poblacion in Moises Padilla;
* Barangays Rizal, 1, 2, 5, and 6 in San Carlos City;
* Barangay Lemery in Calatrava; and
* one barangay in Sipalay City.
Meanwhile, some parts of Barangay Singcang-Airport in Bacolod City were also hit by floods late Wednesday night.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) rescued stranded residents.
Also during Wednesday night’s floods, the road connecting Singcang-Airport to Palmas del Mar was temporarily cut off as floodwaters reached the bridge.
The torrential rains and floods also forced local government units (LGUs) to suspend classes.
Among the LGUs that suspended classes were Bacolod City, the neighboring cities of Bago, Talisay, and Silay, and the municipality of Murcia.
In the north, classes were canceled in the cities of Victorias and San Carlos, as well as in the towns of E.B. Magalona, Toboso, Calatrava, and Don Salvador Benedicto.
In south and central Negros, classes were also suspended in the municipalities of Valladolid, Pontevedra, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Hinoba-an, and the cities of La Carlota and Sipalay.
Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD) head, Dr. Zeaphard Caelian, said the DRRMOs would continue to monitor the weather situation as “Paeng” has already intensified into a tropical storm.
In an advisory, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) noted that although the province was not directly affected by the tropical disturbance, Negrenses should remain alert for isolated rain showers and thunderstorms, especially those living on the river banks.
The DRRM councils have also been advised to heighten preparedness by initiating proactive measures and taking appropriate precautionary actions for possible flooding, flashfloods, or landslides, and by monitoring and ensuring that waterways are clear of obstruction and debris./PN