‘Ofel’ onslaught: Deadly floods in Cebu, evacuations in Bicol

Heavy rains brought by Tropical Depression “Ofel” triggered flooding in wide areas of metropolitan Cebu on Tuesday evening and forced the evacuation of hundreds of families living in villages at the foot of Mayon Volcano in Albay province on Wednesday.

Two people died while a teenager went missing in Cebu City, said Ramil Ayuman, officer in charge of the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Ofel made three landfalls on Wednesday: in Can-avid, Eastern Samar province, at 2:30 a.m.; Matnog, Sorsogon province, at 6 a.m.; and Burias Island, Masbate province, at noon.

As of 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Ofel’s center was estimated at 125 kilometers west of Juban, Sorsogon, packing winds of 45 km per hour near the center and gusts of up to 55 kph.

The weather disturbance was expected to move west-northwestward or westward over the inland seas of southern Luzon and pass close to or over Romblon and the Mindoro provinces, Pagasa said. It would intensify into a tropical storm once it crosses over to the West Philippine Sea on Thursday morning and leave the country’s territory on Friday, it said.

On Thursday, heavy and at times intense rains are expected in Camarines Norte, Quezon, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Cavite, Marinduque, Romblon and Mindoro provinces.

Metro Cebu

The heavy downpour in Metro Cebu began around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday night and lasted past 9 p.m. “What happened was unprecedented. It was too much. We haven’t experienced such an incident in years,” Ayuman said.

He said the body of 85-year-old Flavio Gonzaga Detuya was found around 10 p.m. inside his flooded home in Barangay Lorega San Miguel, while that of 48-year-old Leonardo Otto was recovered at a creek in Barangay Lahug on Wednesday morning.

Detuya, he said, failed to go out of his residence when raging floodwaters came while Otto crossed the creek despite a warning from barangay officials.

Rescuers were still searching for an unidentified 16-year-old boy who might also have been swept away by the flood along General Maxilom Avenue.

The heavy downpour caused rivers to burst their banks, stalled vehicles, and covered roads and highways.

Several cars in some roads were abandoned by their drivers while other vehicles were seen floating as the water rose to waist-high.

At least 230 people were evacuated from Barangay Pulangbato and 136 from Barangay Kalunasan. A still undetermined number of people were transferred to Barangays Sambag Dos, Kamputhaw, T. Padilla, Lorega San Miguel and other parts of the city.

They were provided with food and other immediate needs by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Mayon villages

In Albay province, hundreds of families living in villages at the foot of Mayon Volcano were evacuated on Wednesday afternoon to save them from getting trapped in their homes as heavy rains brought by Ofel triggered fears of floods, landslides and mudflows.

In Guinobatan town, 525 families left their homes in Barangay Maninila and 378 families in Barangay Tandarora as local disaster councils followed instructions issued by the Albay Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to evacuate residents before noon on Wednesday.

‘ITWAS TOOMUCH’ Leon Kilat and other streets in Cebu City are submerged after Tropical Depression “Ofel” brought heavy rains over metropolitan Cebu on Tuesday night. “What happened was unprecedented. It was too much. We haven’t experienced such an incident in years,” said Ramil Ayuman, officer in charge of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. —PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHNRAIN YBURAN

“We want to keep them safe and obtain the zero casualty (goal) during the bad weather, that’s why we conducted the preemptive evacuation,” said Joy Maravillas, municipal disaster official.

The state weather bureau earlier hoisted public storm signal No. 1 over the entire Bicol region.

If the disaster worsens, Maravillas said the villagers might not be able to move out of their homes as the roads connecting Maninila and Muladbucad villages had already eroded due to incessant rains since Tuesday night.

They will be staying at Guinobatan East Central School and Binogsacan Elementary School.

Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay Public Safety Emergency and Management Office, said the towns of Libon, Oas, Pioduran and Manito, and Legazpi City were also experiencing moderate to heavy rains.

Once preemptive evacuation is enforced, Daep directed the local disaster councils to strictly implement the coronavirus health measures, such as the wearing of masks and face shields, and physical distancing.

They should check the temperature of every evacuee and allow only four families to occupy a room, he said.

Stranded in ports

On Wednesday noon, at least 526 passengers, 156 trucks and 41 cars were stranded at ports in Bicol after ferry services were canceled, according to the Office of Civil Defense in the region.

Authorities stopped trips of 17 vessels, 11 of which took shelter in the ports of Sorsogon, Albay and Camarines Sur.

Due to the combined effects of Ofel and the southwest monsoon, Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Palawan, Cagayan, Isabela, the rest of Bicol, the Visayas and Mindanao might experience light to moderate, with at times heavy, rains on Thursday.

Pagasa warned against potential flooding, flash floods and rain-induced landslides during prolonged or heavy rainfall in areas prone to these hazards.

On Wednesday afternoon, tropical cyclone wind signal No. 1 was hoisted over Batangas, the southern portion of Laguna, the central and southern portions of Quezon, the Calamian Islands, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and Masbate on Wednesday afternoon.

In Mandaue City, vehicular traffic was rerouted to the first Mandaue-Mactan Bridge after the highway going to the Marcelo Fernan Bridge was flooded.

There were no reports yet of damage to life and property in Eastern Samar, according to its provincial information officer, Phres Evardone. —WITH REPORTS FROM JHESSET O. ENANO AND JOEY GABIETA INQ