Rains cause floods in Iloilo; classes suspended

ILOILO City floods. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

ILOILO CITY, Philippines—Classes remained suspended in Iloilo City on Tuesday as many areas, including schools, remained flooded due to days of heavy rains.

While the city was not under any storm signal, monsoon rains intensified by Typhoon “Florita” flooded streets, schools, communities and houses.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog ordered the suspension of classes of public elementary and high schools on Tuesday. Classes were also suspended on Monday afternoon due to the heavy rains.

There were no reported casualties but students and office workers were stranded. The heavy rains were continuing as of Tuesday afternoon.

Irate Ilonggos vented their ire about the flooded streets on social media, calling on government officials and agencies to address the flooding, one of the worst in recent years.

Mabilog said the volume of rain from 1 a.m to 5 p.m. on July 7 reached 265 millimeters, and 310 mm from July 5 to 7, citing data of automatic weather stations in Barangay (village) Buntatala in Jaro District.

Mabilog said the volume of rainfall was larger than the 260 mm recorded during Typhoon “Frank” in June 2008.  Frank triggered the worst flooding in the city in decades with floodwaters reaching 10 feet deep in some areas.

The mayor claimed in a statement that Monday’s flooding could have been worse if not for the Iloilo Flood Control Project and the cleanup of the Iloilo River.

“Climate change has been causing extreme weather events like torrential rains so there’s no point blaming each other. Let’s just work with each other to create mitigation and adaptability measures to address climate change,” Mabilog said.

Flooding was experienced in areas with ongoing construction of drainage systems and road-widening and reblocking projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The city was largely spared by last year’s Supertyphoon “Yolanda” but flash floods had occurred in previous years, which were blamed on clogged drainage systems, silted river systems and the city’s low elevation.