Heavier rainfall hits Cebu, Mandaue; rains to continue
Heavier than usual rainfall swept through the cities of Cebu and Mandaue, resulting in flooded streets and stranded commuters last Friday evening.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (Pag-asa) Mactan office said they recorded 64.5 millimeters of rain from 8 p.m until 2 a.m yesterday.
This is more than double the average 15 to 25 millimeter rainfall experienced in Cebu.
“That’s more than enough to cause flooding,” Pag-asa Mactan weather analyst Boy Artiaga said.
“There’s a possibility the rain will continue until next week, but it will subside in the middle of the week.”
This is due to the presence of an Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) which is intensified by the southwest monsoon and a low pressure area in Masbate.
The Cebu City Risk Reduction Management Council said there were no major incidents in last Friday’s downpour.
Council chief Alvin Santillana said advisories were sent to all barangay officials reminding them to tap their rescue brigades for emergencies.
Mayor Michael Rama ordered rescue and relief personnel to be on standby at their Mambaling office to monitor high risk areas such as those located within the three meter easement zone of rivers and creeks.
Santillana said the water level in sitio Panagdait in barangay Mabolo along the Mahiga Creek and neighboring barangays like Kasambagan rose to knee-level.
Water level also rose in parts of barangays Guadalupe, Banilad, Camputhaw and in Happy Valley.
In Happy Valley, a taxi driver abandoned his vehicle after it sank in floodwaters.
In Mandaue City floodwaters rose to knee and even chest level in some areas due to the absence of water outflows and the presence of culverts clogged by uncollected garbage.
Subangdaku barangay captain Ernie Manatad said the water rose to as high as 10 feet in low-lying areas at 10 p.m last Friday, forcing residents in sitio Riverside and Marna to evacuate to higher ground.
Manatad said the downpour also coincided with high tide which flooded coastal barangays.
While no one was hurt, he said some residents were forced to butcher and consume pigs and chickens that drowned in the floodwaters.
Rescue and relief teams used suction pumps to allow the water to subside in some areas.
In barangay Tabok leading to barangay Tingub, some residents ferried factory workers on board improvised rafts made of styrofoam for P5.00 each.
In the boundary between Upper Tingub and Lower Tingub, fiberglass mini-boats were used to transport stranded residents and workers. With Correspondents Edison delos Angeles and Norman V. Mendoza
