A state of calamity was declared in eight sitios of Guadalupe, Cebu City, after Wednesday’s downpour brought mud, silt and water rushing down from the mountains, where a large-scale subdivision is being built.
The hour-long rain caused a flash flood that knocked down concrete fences, entered classrooms and littered roads with rocks and silt.
The floodwaters rushed down to the low-lying sitio Dakit, said resident Adelina Montano, 59.
“It was terrible, as if someone opened a dam,” Montano told Cebu Daily News.
She said they were lucky no one was hurt.
Large-scale earth moving in Monterrazas de Cebu for roads and high-end subdivision lots has changed the path of runoff water even as project owners invested millions in retention dams, riprap and other anti-flooding measures to stabilize the soil.
The barangay council placed sitios Kamanggahan, Kasagingan, Sampaguita, Banawa, Horshoe Drive, Tubigon, San Francisca Village and Buenahills in a state of calamity.
Water reached six feet high, leaving crevices in the soil and rocks in the sitio basketball and volleyball courts.
The concrete fence of a house in nearby Southplains Subdivision was toppled.
Shanties in sitio Dakit were spared since residents moved had their structures from the path of Monterrazas waterways and culverts years ago.
Banawa Elementary School on the other side of the hill was not as lucky.
Principal Marianilva Hermosa said four classrooms were flooded for about 20 minutes after students went home.
Students were still cleaning their rooms yesterday morning.
Several homes in Buenahills and Southplains subdivisions located below Monterrazas were flooded.
Workers tried to clear subdivision roads of rocks left by the flood yesterday.
In Southplains, they leveled the road to prepare it for concrete paving.
Security guard Rolando Er-er said floodwater from Monterrazas normally flows to their subdivision during heavy rains because of lack of proper drainage.
Lormilo Galo, vice president for business development for Genvi Development Corp., the developer of Monterazzas de Cebu, told Guadalupe barangay captain Michael Gacasan that his company will help affected families.
“It is always convenient to blame us. But the main problem is the lack of a drainage system below that would serve as an outlet for water coming from our development,” he said.
Galo said they established a drainage system and a pond to hold 1,600 cubic meters to 1,800 cu m of water to slow down the rush of water downhill
Galo said the firm sent at least 10 members of their disaster team to help remove rocks and mud.
Barangay workers were still collating data on the number of flood victims and damaged structures as of 7 p.m.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who inspected the Monterazzas site, said it needs to be equipped to stop floodwaters from sliding to low-lying areas.
Gacasan said he plans to ask former mayor, Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district to tap a P12.9-million fund for drainage improvement in Guadalupe Heights.
Drainage improvement by contractor E.M. Arante Construction was suspended last year after an investigation was launched into defects in the firm’s projects in other barangays.
“I will request, if the congressman pleases, that the contractor be allowed to complete the project. We can then let the engineering department do a proper inspection before paying the contractor.”
Gacasan said another bidding for the project would take time.