CEBU, Philippines - The heavy downpour starting Thursday until yesterday afternoon caused floods and landslides in different areas in Cebu City.
Five mountain barangays were hit by a landslide, including in Sitio Garahe in Barangay Busay; Barangays Upper and Lower Kalunasan; Upper Lapuerta in Barangay Lahug and Barangay Budlaan.
Personnel of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council went to these areas, particularly in Barangay Budlaan, and urged families to evacuate.
A landslide also hit Sitio Baksan, Barangay Sapangdaku, which covered and blocked almost half of the road in the area.
Clearing operations were immediately carried out by barangay officials of Sapangdaku, personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the CCDRRMC.
According to Councilor Dave Tumulak, chairman of the CCDRRMC, continuous clearing operations were conducted and as of yesterday afternoon, vehicles were already able to pass the road.
The heavy downpour also caused the Mahiga Creek to overflow, which caused a knee-deep flood in Barangays Talamban and Banilad and in areas of A. Bonifacio and MJ Cuenco Ave.
With the bad weather yesterday, CCDRRMC also recorded power outages in at least four areas: Babag, Sibugay, portions of Labangon, and Sitio Lomboy in Banawa.
At around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, an Ipil-ipil tree fell over a power line in Sitio Hitayka, Barangay Busay. The quick response team of the barangay was sent out to cut and remove the fallen tree.
Tumulak said they removed the tree immediately to prevent a total blackout in the entire barangay. The Visayan Electric Company also sent out its personnel.
Further, Tumulak warns the public against a week more of rain showers and thunderstorms with a low pressure expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility next week. — (FREEMAN)