Waves, wind destroy Iloilo boats, homes

SCENE OF DESTRUCTION Debris from what used to be small boats litter the waters of Estancia, Iloilo, one of three towns in the province that were hit by strong winds and huge waves that destroyed homes and fishing vessels. COURTESY OF OCD WESTERN VISAYAS

ILOILO CITY—Strong winds and huge waves hit three towns of Iloilo Tuesday destroying or damaging at least 33 boats and 20 houses.

No casualties have been reported in the towns of Carles, Estancia and Barotac Nuevo, according to police chiefs there.

In Estancia, huge waves and strong winds slammed the town’s port past noon on Tuesday, leaving at least 30 fishing and passenger boats destroyed or damaged.

Citing accounts of witnesses, Senior Insp. Rodelon Betita, Estancia police chief, said the boats that were anchored off the port were lifted by huge waves and hurled at the port.

Most of the boats had broken outriggers or were split in half, Betita said. In Carles town, a motorboat sank and two others were damaged when strong winds and huge waves slammed into its port past 11 a.m., according to Senior Insp. Romar Peregil, Carles police chief.

In Barotac Nuevo, at least 20 houses were damaged after a fishpond dike was destroyed by strong winds in Barangay (village) Talisay, said Senior Insp. Norman Terante, the town’s police chief.

Terante said the houses were flooded up to a meter deep and residents had sought help to evacuate. The water level, however, subsided soon after.

Rosario Cabrera, Western Visayas director of the Office of Civil Defense, said the strong winds and huge waves that hit Estancia were consistent with those of a tornado.

She said the sudden increase in water levels and the strong winds could be due to the southwest monsoon winds.