Heavy rains cause flooding, landslides in Eastern, Northern Samar

TACLOBAN CITY — Heavy rains due to a shear line have resulted in flooding and landslides in Eastern Samar and Northern Samar provinces with several fishermen reported missing and some eventually rescued.

In Jipapad town, Eastern Samar, at least 2,817 families, consisting of 14,085 individuals, were affected by the flood that reached up to the second floor of the houses due to the heavy and continuous rain the area had been experiencing since Friday night.

Mayor Benjamin Ver of Jipapad town said that with the entire town proper underwater, Christmas will not be as merry as they wanted it to be.

“Much as we want to prepare for Christmas, we simply cannot do that because of the flooding that we are experiencing,” he said.

The town, which has more than 8,000 residents spread across its 23 towns, had no power supply on Saturday.

At least 12 families, involving 42 persons, evacuated to the municipal hall while a still undetermined number of families stayed with their neighbors and relatives whose houses were located on higher grounds.

In Borongan City, the provincial capital, flooding was also reported in Sabang Suribao while a minor landslide hit the village of Calico-an.

Flooding was also reported in Bigo, Tawagan, Cagsalay, Mcarthur, Casidman, Inayawan, and Tibalawon, all in Arteche town; Mabuhay and Malinao, both in Taft; and along the Buray, Paranas in Samar and Taft, Eastern Samar road, rendering the said area as not passable to vehicles of all types.

The power supply was also down in several parts of Eastern Samar, including the city of Borongan.

In Northern Samar, several fishermen were reported missing while some of them were rescued.

The Philippine Coast Guard earlier issued a notice for fishermen not to venture into the sea due to the bad weather.

READ: LPA, shear line to bring rain over Palawan, Bicol and Eastern Visayas