State of Calamity to be declared 341 Mandaue families affected by flooding

CEBU, Philippines -The Office of the Civil Defense-7 said at least 341 families in Subangdaku, Mandaue City were affected by Tuesday’s flash floods.

Relief assistances such as food, clothing and other basic materials were handed over to the victims who were already evacuated at the upland area of Sitio Nawanao yesterday.

Neil Sanchez, OCD-7 Operations Head, said that 254 passengers from Mandaue City were also stranded at the North Reclamation Area (NRA) and were later ferried to their respective destinations here by the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

With the incident, the OCD raised their alert level status to two (highest level is three) which would mean they are in constant coordination with other response agencies of the council.

Sanchez urged the response teams to pre-position their teams in the strategic or high-risk areas of the city before the disaster happens because they have the needed equipment.

He said some of the response teams admitted they were taken aback on Tuesday’s incident and could not mobilize.

“I told them to apply Yoyo policy or “You’re on your own” policy whenever there is a disaster, think that there are no other else to help you so that they could respond to any calamities properly,” Sanchez said.

In yesterday’s consolidated report on the flooding incident, the OCD identified the critical areas in Mandaue as Barangay Tipolo, Subangdaku, and Guizo which are to be declared under state of calamity and Barangays Banilad and Basak.

In Cebu City, the critical areas are Barangays Panagdait, T. Padilla, Mabolo, Mambaling, Kamputhaw, Apas, Tinago and Kamagayan. Barangay Poblacion alone is considered in Lapu-lapu City but only minimal.

Meanwhile, the eight-year-old boy who went missing after he was swept away by flooding waters was found floating dead at the seawaters in Legaspi Extn., Pier 1 at 7:30 a.m. yesterday.

The Special Operations Team of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) found the body of Vrille Dave Amay floating on the waters with his face down.

He was taken to the pier grounds and was later transferred to St. Francis Funeral Homes before he was brought to his residence in Sitio Lipa, Escario St., Barangay Kamputhaw for the wake.

Police found wounds and bruises in his face which he allegedly acquired when he bumped into hard objects while he was being swept away by the flood.

The Mandaue City Disaster and Coordinating Council has recommended to the City Council to declare the whole city under the state of calamity.

The recommendation was made by the City Disaster Coordinating Council in yesterday’s meeting called by Mayor Jonas Cortes.

Cortes called a meeting with members of the CDCC to assess the damage of Tuesday’s floods that hit the city. —(FREEMAN)