Flashfloods damage in property pegged at nearly P40 million

CEBU, Philippines - The damage wrought by flashfloods over the weekend in the southern part of Cebu province reached close to P40 million.

The Office of Civil Defense Cebu province has released the estimates for the damage in Santander, Samboan, Ginatilan, Barili, and Carcar City.

Estrellita Escañan, Cebu Provincial coordinator of OCD, said that in Santander town alone, the damage reached P26.5 million.

Most of the damage was to residential and commercial structures where an estimated P15 million was lost by 250 families. The damage to government infrastructure was pegged at P10 million and another P1.5 million in agriculture and livestock.

In Samboan, authorities estimated damage worth P5 million for the houses and another P5 million in infrastructure.

Damage to crops and livestock was pegged at P1.5 million and P300,000, respectively.

Escañan also said that four barangays in Samboan were seriously damaged while three barangays suffered only minor damage.

The Samboan barangay, which was worst hit was San Sebastian which had ten totally damaged houses and 95 partially damaged. Seven fishing boats were also reported missing and 15 damaged.

Barangay Colase had four totally damaged houses, 21 partially damaged and three fishing boats missing.

In barangay Dalahican, 15 houses were partially damaged while in barangay Tangbo, 54 houses were partially damaged and 11 houses totally damaged.

Other barangays in Samboan also reported minor damages, like Barangay Poblacion where 60 families were affected, Barangay Bonbon reported 15 families affected and 20 families were affected in Barangay Suba.

Escañan also said that three barangays in Barili — San Rafael, Sta Ana and Poblacion sustained minor damage.

Last Saturday, residents living in the coastal area were evacuated because of the flashflood and the overflowing of the rivers.

In the town of Ginatilan, the water system was cut off and as of today, only 80% has been restored.

This was according to Mayor Dean Micheal Singco, who reported that flashfloods was also experienced in their place and has partially damaged the flood control structure of the river.

In Carcar city, 3,000 households have been affected by dirty water that seeped into the main reservoir.

Carcar Water District, which is the main supplier of water in the city, is presently undertaking rehabilitation activity.

Residents who have been affected are getting their water from artesian wells and commercial bottled water. 

Doh Monitoring

Meanwhile, the Department of Health is closely monitoring the health of residents who were affected by the flashfloods.

According to Dr. Lakshmi Legaspi, “cases of diarrhea and viral infections may occur during instances like these especially to those staying in evacuation centers.”

An outbreak of measles is also possible.

Legaspi said that those with damaged water systems should take precautionary measures.

Environmental sanitation is being conducted by DOH, said Legaspi and the water system is being checked by the Regional Epidemiology & Surveillance Unit (RESU). – AJ de la Torre/NLQ   (THE FREEMAN)