Heavy rains, strong winds: Bad weather kills 3 persons

CEBU, Philippines - There was no storm, but three people were killed by bad weather in Cebu province yesterday.

In Sitio Proper, Barangay Patag, City of Naga, four-year-old Aileen Rose Paquit was killed after she was swept away into a river by floodwaters even as she was sleeping in her house with her mother.

City Disaster Risk Reduction personnel Rey Mantalaba said the water came from the fenced-in barangay covered court. The water had been building up in the court due to the rain and was estimated at four feet deep when the concrete fence burst like a dam no longer able to hold the pressure.

The house of the girl, mostly made of light materials, was in the path of the water.

"Nibigay ni ang koral, nibuto. Ang flow sa tubig didto tumong sa balay, mao ng nangaanod ang biktima kuyog sa mama," he said.

The mother was able to hold on to something but the girl was swept away into a river. She was found dead around a kilometer away in Barangay Lutac.

The girl was an only child. Her father was working in a construction site during the incident.

In Barangay Mayana, City of Naga, an 18-year-old man drowned in a muddy lake while fishing.

Mantalaba said Arvin Entroliso was fishing when he fell into the lake. A friend who was with him said he tried to save him to no avail.

"Duda nako ani ni-unlod unya kay lapok man… wala katunga," he said.

He added estimated the lake was seven feet deep and was a common fishing area of the residents.

In Bogo City, a 61-year-old man drowned while swimming in one of the beach resorts in Barangay Nailon. Gamallel Lecciones from Navotas City was seen swimming around 6 a.m. yesterday despite the big waves.

His body was later found by a certain Alburo Zambo, according to Senior Police Officer 3 Eldefonso Prusia. The police are still investigating whether or not the drowning was caused by the bad weather.

Meanwhile, a fisherman from Dumanjug town who went missing Sunday afternoon was found alive yesterday morning. Denis Sayson failed to come home since Sunday after setting off amid rough seas and big waves.

Classes suspended

Since some parts in southern and northern Cebu areas are still submerged in floodwaters and with the forecasted moderate to heavy downpour in Cebu today due to the tail-end of a cold front affecting Visayas, classes are still suspended.

The incessant rains and intermittent weather have prompted the Cebu provincial government to suspend classes in elementary and high school levels in all public and private schools yesterday and today, Jan. 17.

"Classes are suspended due to anticipated heavy rainfall," Provincial Information Officer Jason Monteclar said.

Colleges and universities are given the discretion to suspend classes.

According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, hundreds of families were displaced due to floods.

At least 139 households (nine in Barangay Ilaya, Dumanjug town and 130 in Barangay Ibo, Toledo City) were evacuated to safer ground yesterday.

In Liloan, at least 32 families are temporarily taking shelter at the Yati covered court, while four families are in Tiltilon Elementary School. Eight families were also evacuated in Tuburan and 10 families in Balamban.

PDRRMO reports issued at 6 p.m. showed that Dumanjug, Catmon, Argao, Consolacion, Sogod, Liloan, Barili, Aloguinsan and the cities of Danao, Talisay, Naga, Toledo and Carcar experienced rising water levels after  yesterday's downpour.

PDRRMO spokesman Julius Regner said they conducted forced evacuation in three barangays of Consolacion --Pitogo, Poblacion and Cansaga-- due to the threat of the rising water level.

"We've been monitoring all the areas in the province. The local disaster team have already been alerted," he said.

Landslides in barangays Olango and Kawasan in Aloguinsan, in Barangay Cambang-og in Toledo City, and in Dumangug were reported. The areas are still passable, however.

Also, the spillways in Barangays Esperanza and Bojo overflowed, according to Aloguinsan Local Disaster Officer Shane Navarro.

A motorized passenger boat, M/B Two Brothers bound for Tan-awan, Oslob, from Bohol, conked out near Siquijor amid the heavy rains and big waves. However, all 31 passengers and crew were saved.

In Mandaue City, around 500 families from barangays Umapad, Tabok, Alang-Alang and Canduman were forcedly evacuated to the Barangay Paknaan Gym at 7:45 a.m. yesterday.

Mandaue City Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Felix Suico, Jr. said that there are still observing and would immediately give updates whether the families would have to stay for long in the evacuation center.

"As of now, grabe pa gyud ka taas sa tubig, but we'll observe kon basin ugma pwede na ba sila mamalik sa ilang mga panimalay, we can never tell," he said.

There were no reports of casualties, Suico said.

Mandaue City Mayor Gabriel Luigi Quisumbing said the city remains on red alert, which means "serious flooding" in low-lying areas, because of the rain.

"Red alert will remain in place until weather system dissipates," Quisumbing said.

The mayor personally went to Paknaan after learning that there were families trapped by floodwaters but eventually evacuated to safety.

Quisumbing said they have advised residents living beside the river and low-lying areas not to go back to their homes until the weather improves.

"To all dwellers along Butuanon river, please stay away from the river banks because of the volume, depth and force of the water. It has already inundated some areas. Never allow children to play around high water areas, storm drains, canals, and river banks. Do not return to flooded areas until authorities indicate it is safe to do so," Quisumbing said.

Quisumbing also called for the suspension of classes in elementary and high school level of public schools.

"After consultation with PAGASA and DepEd this morning and reports from several schools that are experiencing rising water levels, I have decided to suspend classes in all Public Preschools to High Schools today January 16, 2017 in Mandaue City," he said.

Cebu City landslides

Several barangays in Cebu City also experienced landslides because of the heavy rain yesterday morning.

These were barangays Sirao, Toong, Agsungot, Sapangdaku, Pit-os, Busay and Mabini, Cebu City Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council head Nagiel Bañacia said. The most affected area was Sirao.

Bañacia said 58 families with more than 200 individuals were affected by the landslide in Sitio Tawagan 1, Sirao.

"Two parts of the entire mountain moved down. Dunay nahimo siya'g cliff. Ni-usos ang bukid," Bañacia said.

The Department of Social Welfare Services was also able to go to the area, he said.

According to records, roads in Barangays Sirao and Toong are totally closed. Operations are still ongoing in Barangays Agsungot, Pit-os and Busay. In Mabini, the road is impassable, while the road is already passable in Supangdaku.

Deputy Mayor on Peace and Order Cebu City Councilor Joy Young said he was thankful that there were no casualties reported.

Students were sent home yesterday noon after Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña announced a suspension of classes yesterday morning because of heavy rains.  Young said there is a need to suspend classes because of the heavy rain, strong wind, and floods to ensure the safety of the students.

Young said the Department of Education did not announce a suspension of classes since the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration did not announce a storm signal.

 "So karon wala ma'y typhoon signal unya nag-decide man ta nga no classes, ang mayor maoy ni-suspend dili ang DepEd," Young said.

Widespread rain

The Mactan-based Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration observed widespread rain over Visayas region, including Cebu Province, yesterday lasting 13 hours due to two rain-producing weather systems.

Netherlen Saletrero, weather specialist of PAGASA's Regional Services Division for Visayas, said yesterday that Cebu province experienced continuous rain yesterday caused by the tail end of a cold front and the Low Pressure Area crossing Mindanao.

She said light to moderate rains may reoccur until today but fair weather can be expected on Wednesday or Thursday since the cold front may dissipate already while the Low Pressure Area may be away from the landmass.

Yesterday saw widespread rainfall over the region starting at dawn until the afternoon but particularly became intense at 7 a.m. in Cebu Province, said Saletrero.

She said from 3 a.m. to 5 p.m., the recorded volume of rainwater summed up to 75.2 millimeters, equivalent to 375,000 drums of water in an one square kilometer.

This could explain some portions of the province were flooded while some vicinities suffered landslides. — Iris Mariani B. Algabre, Kristine B. Quintas, Garry B. Lao, May B. Miasco, and Izhar Seth Aloy and Vania Mae Lim (BANAT NEWS)