Heavy rain in uplands flood downtown Cebu

Floods stalled vehicles in various parts of downtown Cebu City at noon yesterday.

Joy Tumulak, operations head of the Cebu Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Citom), said that knee-level water prevented smaller vehicles from traversing downtown roads.

The management of Gaisano Main even placed two layers of sandbags to prevent floodwater from entering their establishment.

Tumulak said that knee-level water was experienced along Colon Street from the corner of Leon Kilat to Mabini Street.

Alvin Santillana, operations head of the City Risk Reduction Management Council, said heavy rains in the mountain barangays caused flood waters to rush to low-lying barangays.

But except for the fallen tree along Salinas Drive, no other damage was reported.

“Dili kusog ang uwan sa ubos pero sa bukid kusog kayo unya tanang tubig ari habwa sa ubos. Kini nagpasabot nga dili ta angay mo kumpyansa [Rain in downtown was not heavy, unlike in the uplands where rain was heavy, and then the water drained here. This means we should not be complacent.],” Santillana said.

A portion of Junquera Street beside Cebu Business Hotel was also submerged in knee-deep floodwater.

Some people paid for the service of “kariton [pushcart] owners” in order to cross the flooded Ballesteros Street, said Tumulak.

Other flooded streets include Bonifacio, Sikatuna, Lopez Jaena, Sanciangko, Imus and Juan Luna streets, Archbishop Reyes Avenue, the vicinity of Zapatera Elementary School in the north district and Bulacao in the south district.

There was also flooding in barangay T. Padilla, when the nearby creek overflowed. Water levels in the Tejero and Mahiga Creeks were also elevated.

Portions of A. Soriano Street infront of SM Cebu were also underwater.

Citom enforcers who were equipped with boots and raincoats were deployed to some parts of the city to help ease the gridlock, said Tumulak.

However, he said, that Citom’s mobility was limited because of their lack of protective rain gear.  The few pieces of raincoats that they have are about three to four years old while they do not have boots for their enforcers’ use.

He also advised motorists and commuters to avoid flood-prone roads when there is heavy downpour.