Zambo flood damage reaches P40 million

ZAMBOANGA CITY — More than P40 million worth of agricultural crops, fishery and properties were destroyed by floods spawned by one week of continuous rains in this southern port city.

Authorities reported that three persons died due to the flashfloods. Their bodies were recovered in separate places last Saturday.

At least 800 families or about 3,500 residents were also forced to evacuate when the torrents submerged at least 10 barangays, according to City Mayor Celso Lobregat.

Heavy rains pounded the city for eight successive days. The river channels swelled and swept ricefields and large fishponds both in the east and west coast here.

City Agriculturist Diosdado Palacat said the flashfloods had damaged more than 170 hectares of fishponds and about 250 hectares of agricultural crops and dams and irrigation properties.

The local weather bureau here said the heavy rains were brought by an intertropical convergence zone.

The city was also lashed by the tailend of tropical storms "Milenyo" and "Neneng."

"So far, we have estimated the damage to reach P40 million," Palacat said.

The City Disaster and Coordinating Council (CDCC) held an emergency meeting Sunday and called for the declaration of a state of calamity in selected areas so that the city can mobilize calamity funds to assist displaced civilians.

Lobregat said the relief operation is ongoing in different schools temporarily used as evacuation centers.

Sen. Francisco Pangilinan, who accompanied his wife Sharon Cuneta here last Saturday for a concert in connection with the city’s Fiesta Pilar Festiva, committed financial support to the flood victims.

The flashfloods also threatened the impounding dam of the Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD), the main source of water supply in the city.