The Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council says landslides occurred in four areas in Barangay Nabulao, Sipalay City that included Cantico, Anhawan, Sumil and Villarica
BACOLOD, Philippines – Strong winds, flooding, landslides, and power outages are plaguing as of Thursday, October 24, areas in Negros Occidental and its capital, Bacolod, because of the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami).
A report of Negros Occidental’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) said landslides occurred in four areas in Barangay Nabulao, Sipalay City that included Cantico, Anhawan, Sumil and Villarica on Wednesday.
Sipalay’s risk reduction and management office personnel with the help of Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel, as well as other volunteers immediately conducted clearing operations, making roads in these areas passable now.
(READ: Severe Tropical Storm Kristine: Track, wind signals, rainfall warnings, rescue, relief efforts)
Aside from landslides, two villages in Sipalay — Nabulao and Cayhagan — were also flooded on Wednesday due to continuous rains, the PDRRMC report added.
But since Monday, PDRRMC reported 746 families or 2,811 individuals were affected by bad weather in 22 local government units (LGUs) in the province, such as the towns of La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Valladolid, Pulupandan, Murcia, EB Magalona, Manapla, Toboso, Don Salvador Benedicto, Calatrava, San Enrique and Pontevedra and the cities of La Carlota, Talisay, Silay, Bago, Cadiz, Sagay and Victorias, Escalante and San Carlos, as well.
Of the number, 64 families or 162 individuals were brought to various evacuation centers, the PDRRMC said.
Due to strong winds, brownouts also occur from time to time in different parts of Negros Occidental and Bacolod since Wednesday morning.
Also because of the strong winds and rising waves, 168 families or 584 individuals in nine coastal villages of Bacolod were also evacuated Wednesday.
Forty-eight of these affected families or 181 individuals are currently staying at various evacuation centers in Bacolod, Jose Evram Vera, a city risk and disaster officer II told Rappler.
The affected Bacoleños are from Barangays Sum-ag, Singcang-Airport, Pahanocoy, Taculing, Estefania, Alijis, 1, Tangub and Banago, Vera added.
Meanwhile, the city engineer’s office (CEO) has started to demolish an overflow bridge at Kabiguan creek in Purok Mabinuligon, Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod on Wednesday.
The overflow bridge, made of RC pipe culverts and constructed by a private individual, was identified by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Bacolod City Engineering District as the one blocking the flow of water from the creek, causing floods along the national highway at Bangga Tomaro, Sum-ag on Monday morning.
DPWH-Bacolod plans to construct an interim bamboo footbridge in the area after the overflow bridge is demolished.
On the other hand, as Wednesday, sea trips Bacolod-Iloilo, Pulupandan-Guimaras and EB Magalona, Negros Ocidental-Ajuy, Iloilo – all vice versa – remained suspended, said Seaman First Class Rowel Balasabas of the Philippine Coast Guard Northern Negros Occidental Station.
He said the PCG will maintain this status as long as Iloilo or Panay Island remained under Storm Signal No. 1
But sea trips in the cities San Carlos and Escalante in Negros Occidental to and from Cebu have already resumed Thursday morning, he said. – Rappler.com
