Surprised: Agaton flooding sends Capiz residents to rooftops

Sigma town in Capiz remained flooded three days after Typhoon Agaton triggered what residents say is the worst flooding in the province. (Photo courtesy of the Office of Civil Defense in Western Visayas)

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines — Sudden massive flooding caused by Tropical Storm Agaton took residents of Capiz and northern Iloilo by surprise, trapping many of them on rooftops.

Even those who survived previous devasting typhoons, such as Supertyphoon Yolanda in 2013, had no time to prepare.

“We were still transferring our belongings and starting to evacuate when the water level rose so fast and so high. Even my 78-year-old mother has not experienced this kind of flooding in her lifetime,” elementary school teacher Ariane Parreño-Pedrosa told the INQUIRER in a telephone interview on Wednesday, April 13.

Pedrosa, 37, along with family members used tables of their public market in Barangay Dacuton in Dumarao town in Capiz to climb to the roof of the market at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 11.

Drenched in rain, Pedrosa, along with 80 relatives and neighbors aged 12 to 96 including two pregnant women, stayed on the roof until 2 a.m. or for nine hours while they waited for the floodwaters to subside.

Pedrosa, who lives with her own family in another part of the village, went to her mother’s house to help evacuate but ended up being trapped in the flood.

Before the water submerged her mother’s one-story house, they were able to transfer to the two-story house of a neighbor, one of the most elevated structures in the area where they moved some of her mother’s belongings.

But the floodwaters soon reached the second floor of the house, forcing them to transfer to the market and then to its rooftop.

Residents in Barangay Dacuton in Dumarao town stay on the roof of a market to escape rampaging floodwaters. (Photo courtesy of  ARIANE PARREÑO PEDROSA)

“From the rooftop, we can only watch refrigerators, gas stoves, sala sets, and other belongings being swept away by floodwaters,” Pedrosa said.

Many areas in Capiz have experienced perennial flooding during heavy rains especially those in low-lying areas that served as a catch basin for water coming from upland villages.

Pedrosa, her relatives, and neighbors went down from the roof when her husband Rodel and other relatives were able to reach them.

“We were separated because he was also helping other relatives and neighbors and our cellphone connection was cut off,” she said.

While there was massive destruction of houses due to strong winds during Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013 and flooding during more recent typhoons, many were caught unprepared with the onslaught last April 11.

“Even our market and other structures in elevated areas were flooded,” Pedrosa said.

While food and other assistance have reached the survivors by April 13, Pedrosa said residents in the areas needed dry clothes including underwear and blankets as they started cleaning up debris and sludge in their houses.

Rescue operations also continued for the third day on April 13 as residents trapped in flooded areas appealed for help.

Rescue teams from Antique were deployed to Capiz to help in the rescue operations.

The Municipal Risk Reduction Management Council (MDRRMC) of Dumarao passed a resolution on April 13, recommending that the town be placed under a state of calamity.

The MDRRMC reported that 90 percent of households in the town and all agricultural areas have been flooded for three days.

In Panitan town in Capiz, rescuers were searching for passengers of two motorboats that were swept by rampaging waters in a river before hitting a bridge and capsizing.

About 15 of the 20 passengers of the two motorboats were rescued, according to an initial report reaching the RDRRMC.

The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council in Western Visayas reported six fatalities as of 1 p.m. April 13. These include 5 in Iloilo (3 in Sara town and 1 each in Ajuy town and Lemery town) and a fatality in Pilar town, Capiz.

The RDRRMC reported 145,713 persons affected by the typhoon including 67,184 who evacuated from their houses. These include 38,598 persons in evacuation centers.

RELATED STORIES

DSWD begins aid distribution to ‘Agaton’ victims

‘Agaton’ death toll rises to 43 — NDRRMC

Pagasa: LPA, formerly ‘Agaton,’ dissipates

ATM