Floods hit 10 villages in Zamboanga City
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur—Christie Alpa, a resident of Sangali village here, woke up with her family on Wednesday drenched in floodwater that entered their house.
“Our children had to swim towards an elevated place,” Alpa said.
The city disaster risk reduction and management office counted some 1,850 families in 10 villages affected by flooding spawned by continuous heavy rains since 3 a.m. on Wednesday.
The state weather agency has warned of moderate to heavy rains on Tuesday in many Mindanao provinces due to an intertropical convergence zone.
According to Elmeir Apolinario, city disaster risk reduction and management officer, at least knee-deep waters flooded the villages of Sangali, Bolong, Manicahan, Cabaluay, Bunguiao, Tumaga, Santa Maria, Guiwan, Tugbungan and Curuan.
City councilor Mike Alavar, chair of the City Council committee on disaster response, said floods in some villages were as high as a meter, damaging household appliances and furniture in many homes.
“The villagers were caught off guard (by the floods),” Alvar said.
Alavar lauded police personnel, village officials and residents who helped bring the affected families to safety.
The heavy rains caused a landslide in Curuan village.
