Capiz seeks help for Agaton flood victims

WORST EVER | The town of Panay and all other municipalities and the capital Roxas City in Capiz experience the worst flooding in recent memory due to heavy and continuous rains dumped by Tropical Storm “Agaton” (Megi) on April 10. —PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF CIVIL DEFENSE WESTERN VISAYAS

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines — Gov. Esteban Evan Contreras of Capiz province has appealed for help for Capizeños displaced by last week’s flooding, considered the worst experienced in the province in recent memory.

More than 250,000 residents were housed in evacuation centers in the province as of April 17. While many have gone home, at least 23,605 evacuees were still in shelters as of Monday.

Contreras said rules that clipped government spending during the election period had limited the provincial government’s capability to release funds and provide for affected residents.

“My hands are tied. We need food and water as well as materials to rebuild or repair houses damaged by flooding,” Contreras told the Inquirer.

Around 99,000 households were evacuated at the height of the flooding triggered by continuous heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm Agaton (international name: Megi) days before and when it hit many areas in the Visayas between April 10 and April 11.

The provincial disaster risk reduction and management office reported 19 dead in the province, mostly due to drowning, with one still missing.

Worse than Yolanda

“Our province was not placed under any storm signal but [we experienced] worse flooding than when [Supertyphoon] ‘Yolanda’ (Haiyan) struck us,” Contreras said.

Yolanda, considered the strongest typhoon to hit land, destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of houses and other infrastructure due to strong winds when it ravaged mostly the Visayas regions in 2013. But it did not trigger widespread and massive flooding similar to what residents experienced for several days last week.

Contreras said damage to agriculture, especially to crops and fishponds, could run into billions of pesos as entire villages and all of the province’s 16 towns and its capital Roxas City were flooded.

Except for Mass and a few other activities, the province’s annual Capiztahan festival, which showcases Capiz’s famous seafood, has been canceled due to the devastation brought by the flooding.

Contreras said he had sought assistance from government agencies to help farmers and fishpond operators recover. This includes support for fingerlings, seeds, farm inputs, and other livelihood assistance.

RELATED STORY

Surprised: Agaton flooding sends Capiz residents to rooftops