Whirlwind hits Minglanilla, Talisay villages

Close to 50 houses were damaged and at least three people injured when a whirlwind, locally called buhawi, hit the coastal town of Minglanilla and Talisay City around 2 p.m. yesterday.

Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa)- Mactan Station chief Oscar Tabada said the whirlwind strength was 200 kilometers per hour.

The wind velocity he said was comparable to the winds of typhoon Ruping in 1990.

Tabada said the whirlwind started as a water spout off the coast of Minglanilla and then became a whirlwind as it made land fall in barangay Calajo-an then moved about two kilometers inland, passing by Tungkil to sitio Libo, barangay Mojon, Talisay City before it dissipated.

It was an ordinary afternoon for housewife Yelly Belleza when she saw galvanized iron sheets and plywood  flying like paper in circular motion in the field in front of his home in Sto. Nino, Tungkil, Minglanilla.

“Abi nako og nay sunog unya ang mga agipo nanglupad sa taas. Unya nagpadulong naman sa amo, mga atop naman diay nanglupad. Nagdali dali ko og sulod sa balay [I thought there was a fire in the neighborhood and that the embers were flying. When it came closer, it became clear that those were roofs flying. I rushed inside our house],” Belleza told Cebu Daily News.

Belleza said that while trying to save her belongings, she felt like floating in the air. When she realized she was lifted about 12-inches above the ground, she grabbed her television set and dropped to the ground.

When she looked up, her house was in total mess. The roof was blown some 20 meters away, some of their belongings were found in the road and in their neighbor.

In Phase 3 of Deca Homes in Tungkil, Minglanilla, at least 25 two-storey houses lost their roof.

Marilyn Camanse was selling banana cue outside their house in Block 17 when she saw the roof in their neighborhood flying.

When she noticed her banana cue were also flying, she dropped to the ground and hid behind a vehicle. She shouted to warn her neighbors of the whirlwind.

A roof in Villa Feliza was blown a block away and landed on a brand new Sports Utility Vehicle. Some of the galvanized iron sheets were hanging on the electric wires.

In barangay Calajo-an, Minglanilla a fence of a feed mill company fell. Two houses were also damaged.

Seven houses made of light materials fell to the ground in sitio Libo, barangay Mojon, Talisay City.

Leticia Labadan, 48 years old said she was walking on the rice fields on her way home in sitio Libo when she saw the whirlwind approaching.

She ran as fast as she could but the whirlwind was able to catch her. She held on a concrete post of one of the houses in the neighborhood but a hard object slammed to her right arm and another one dropped in her feet causing her injury.

She was rushed to Talisay District Hospital. Doctors stitched her wound. She said there were three of them who were injured and brought to the same hospital.

Aside from houses, a building of the  Popular Feedmill in barangay Calajo-an was also destroyed.

Tabada said people should be warned and take precaution when they see a funnel-like clouds as it may bring strong winds. People should take cover and keep safe.

Tungkil barangay captain Manolo Delgado said they will declare their barangay under a state of calamity.

Talisay City councilors Danny Caballero and Val Ylanan went to sitio Libo and gave one sack of rice for the affected residents.

Power and water supply was cut temporarily as some of the wires were cut.

Theresa Sederiosa, corporate communications manager of the Visayan Electric Company said they sent emergency crew to fix damaged power lines./with reports from Carine M. Asutilla and Jhunnex Napallacan