Thousands were stranded: Downpour causes flooding, gridlock

CEBU, Philippines - A heavy downpour lasting an hour yesterday afternoon submerged many parts of Cebu City, causing heavy traffic and stranding thousands of commuters, especially in the downtown area.

The rain, started at 2 p.m., caused rivers and drainages in many parts of Metro Cebu to overflow.

Jimelon Jimeno, base control operator of Cebu City Traffic Operations Management, said major streets in Cebu City experienced gridlock.

These are the F. Ramos Street, General Maxilom Avenue, Junquera Street; Colon Street, Mabini Street; N. Bacalso Avenue, Leon Kilat Street; P. del Rosario Street, Sikatuna Street, Bonifacio Street; and D. Jakosalem Street.

Mandaue City North Reclamation Area was also flooded.

Stranded commuters in the downtown area rode trisikads to cross the flooded streets.

Manny vehicles were stuck in the flood. Bystanders tried to help push some stranded public utility jeepneys and taxis for few pesos.

A report over TV Patrol Central Visayas said barangays Carreta, T. Padilla, Lorega and Kamagayan were heavily flooded.

A fence of a house located near a river in Sitio Fatima, Barangay Kamputhaw collapsed during the heavy rain.

Rising water that entered the barangay halls of Sambag 1 and Kamagayan also delayed works of barangay employees.

Alvin Santillana, executive officer of Cebu City Risk Reduction and Management Council, said an immediate dredging helped prevent the water in Mahiga Creek to overflow.

“We continue to assist the area to make this problem done,” Santillana said in an interview over TV Patrol Central Visayas.

Jack Jackosalem, chairman of the CITOM, said they received reports of waist-deep flood in several areas of the city.

He said had the rain continued, it would have gotten real worse.

“We fielded traffic enforces quickly to the affected areas to guide motorists away from flooded roads,” he said in a text message to The FREEMAN.

In Cebu province, provincial police director Patrocinio Comendador directed all police chiefs in the province to monitor their areas for possible landslides and floods.

Comendador told police chiefs to coordinate with their local government unit during rescue operations.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration weather observer Boy Artigas said Metro Cebu will experience scattered rains this month.

Artigas warned those who live near the riverbanks and landslide-prone areas to be on alert for possible flooding and landslide.

For those living near the river, Artigas said they should keep themselves aware of rising water level during rains.

Artigas said tropical depression Egay has maintained its strength as it continues to move northwestward.

This morning, he said Egay will be at 170 kilometers northeast of Sorsogon. Tomorrow morning, Egay will be at 100 km northeast of Virac, Catanduanes while by Monday it will be at 180 km northeast of Casiguran, Aurora.

As of 4 a.m., the storm was estimated at 310 kilometers east of Surigao City, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour.

The storm was moving at a northwest direction at 13 kph.

PAGASA said that Egay, the fifth storm to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this year, will enhance the southwest monsoon and will bring rains over Mindanao and Eastern Visayas.

The weather bureau earlier predicted that the LPA will develop into a storm yesterday. It said that the storm may not hit land and travel straight to Japan.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the low pressure area east of Mindanao has developed into a tropical depression. — With Philstar.com/LPM (FREEMAN)