Families return to homes as floodwaters recede in Negros Occidental

BACOLOD CITY – At least 123 families composed of 477 individuals have returned to their homes as floodwaters subsided in some areas in San Carlos City in Negros Occidental on Saturday.

According to Joe Recalex Alingasa Jr., local risk reduction management officer, 10 houses along the Andoon River in Sitio Medina, Barangay Rizal were swept away by the flood.

Two trees fell in Sitio Dukog-dukog, Barangay Rizal, and blocked roads going in and out of the city while a bridge leading to Sitio Cabunao, Barangay Palampas was also damaged.

“Most of the residents were alarmed since it was the first time they had experienced floodwaters entering their houses, prompting some to move to the evacuation centers,” a post in the San Carlos City Facebook page read.

Arthur Batomalaque, Senior Environment Management Specialist of the City Environment Management Office, said heavy downpour and debris that was swept to the city’s waterways might have caused the flood.

The volume of water coming from the mountains, he said, was just too huge for the water channels to contain.

“The mayor plans to widen the waterways, including the exits of creeks and rivers, especially in Barangay 1 which is a flood-prone area,” Batomalaque said.

He urged people to plant more trees to address the flood problem.

“Although the city has been doing this for quite some time already, still, we need to double our efforts since the trees are our front liners when it comes to flood”, he said.

/MUF