Floods hit Naga City; 2 dead in Dumanjug

CEBU, Philippines - Floods hit 15 barangays of Naga affecting 81 families while two fatalities were reported in the southern town of Dumanjug due to rains brought by tropical depression Urduja.

The flooding in Naga forced residents to move out of their houses, but there were no reported casualties.

Naga Mayor Valdemar Chiong told the reporters yesterday that the affected barangays were Bairan, Jagimit, Patag, Alpaco, Tangjagimit, Uling, Lanas, Balirong, Mayana, Lutac, Pangdan, Mainit, South Poblacion, Cogon and Tinaan.

He said that the flood started at around 6 p.m. in Uling, a mountain barangay of the city, and the water subsided only at past 11 pm.

Traffic was snarled on the highway as the flood made the bridge in barangay Tinaan impassable.

The waters also destroyed the hanging bridge in barangay Mainit and the spillway in barangay Lutac. There were also reports of electric posts that fell.

Delia Tibay, city social welfare officer, said that they received initial reports that four houses were washed away while three others were partially damaged.

A house in barangay Pangdan was also damaged due to a landslide.

The owners of the four totally damaged houses were Jessica Lenampo, Cleofe Lenampo, Dolores Repono and Oscar Abalorio.

The three partially damaged houses were owned by Mardeliza Panilagao, Mary Jane Villena and Nora Geraldez.

The totally damaged house in Pangdan is owned by William Pacres.

According to Tibay that a total of 81 families or 316 individuals including children were affected in barangay Tinaan and South Poblacion.

She said that she received reports of three more partially damaged houses in barangay Patag.

Tibay said that the affected families were housed at the sports complex in Sindulan, Tinaan Chapel and the badminton court near the city hall in barangay Poblacion.

But early morning yesterday the evacuees returned to their respective barangays.

Officials also said that a car and some livestock were also carried away by the floods.

Demetrio Alinsonorin Jr., barangay captain of Jagimit, said that he believes that a “buhawi” or water spout hit their area because of the big holes that he noticed on the ground.

Mayor Chiong met with the village chiefs of the affected barangays at his office to assess the situation.

Sr. Supt. Jesus Gaquing, provincial police director, yesterday visited the affected areas.

He ordered the chief of the Naga police, Supt. Anthony Bagarinao to send personnel to the affected barangays to assist and help secure the place.

The provincial police director added that he asked help from Provincial Engineering Office, the Philippine Army’s 53rd Engineering Brigade and the City of Toledo for help.

Fatalities

Two persons died in Dumanjug town during the storm.

The first fatality was identified as Reynaldo Zozobrado, a resident of barangay Ylaya.

SPO1 Reynaldo Sala of the Dumanjug police said that the victim died of electrocution.

Sala said that a branch of a mango tree hit the electric wires causing them to fall on the victim’s house.

While Zozobrado was trying to secure the members of his family, he accidentally touched the live wire.

He was brought to the Barili District Hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.

The second fatality was identified as Modesto Pasiluna, 13, of barangay Bitoon, who was found floating on the river.

It was reported that the victim was asked by his parents to gather firewood, but he never came back.

Also affected by flooding were Carcar, Barili and Aloguinsan.

Red Alert

Perhaps learning from previous calamities, the police have been put on red alert to respond to any eventuality.

In fact, police officials including Chief Supt. Lani-O Nerez, director of the Police Regional Office-7, were at the area affected by flooding Wednesday night. – Brenda D. Batuto and Gabriel Bonjoc/NLQ   (FREEMAN NEWS)