Eastern Samar flood affects at least 1,600 families, kills farmer

A man uses his paddle boat to get around the flood waters in Taft, Eastern Samar. ROBERT DEJON

TAFT, Eastern Samar — A farmer was killed while at least 1,600 families were affected on Saturday when floods hit 11 villages here following incessant rains.

Elpedio Zacate was found dead on Saturday after he drowned in floodwaters in Barangay Mantang, Taft.

He was last seen tending his carabao on Friday night out of fear that it might be swept away by floods.

Municipal Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (MDRRMC) head Gaspar Yuhan said the flood hit 11 villages, affecting 1,694 families.

These were Barangays Mabuhay, 255 families; Danao, 125; Bangdo, 120; Malinao, 228; Del Remedios 151; San Pablo, 174; Binaluan, 186; Lumatud, 167; Pangabutanp, 93; Gayam, 98; and Beto, 97.

Yuhan said the municipal officials were set to meet on Sunday afternoon to discuss passing a resolution placing the town under a state of calamity.

The declaration would allow the municipal officials to tap the calamity funds to help residents affected by the floods that destroyed agricultural crops and livestock.

was People force themselves to walk on the highway in Eastern Samar after floods rendered the roads impassable. ROBERT DEJON

He said water inundated rice lands and the national highway.

Yuhan said they planned to use 30 percent of the P4.4 million in calamity funds for relief operations for flood victims.

The weather bureau had reported that the downpour in the province dumped 300 mm of rain, which was equivalent to half a month of rain in December but was delivered in one day, resulting to heavy flooding.

Chief Insp. Don Archie Suspeñe, deputy group commander of Eastern Samar Police Public Safety Company, said landslides were reported in the mountain villages of Bagacay in Hinabangan town, Samar and  San Rafael, in Taft, Eastern Samar.

No one was reported hurt but the landslides blocked the road. JE/rga