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Alert level 2 declared in Surigao City

By Roel N. Catoto

| January 18, 2017 - 6:10 pm

SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews / 18 Jan) – Heavy downpour since last night has never ceased in this city, bringing floods in the streets and causing minimal to no supply of potable water because of the murky water at the source.

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18surigaoflood web — Water inundates Narciso Street in Surigao City as rain continues to pour nonstop on Wednesday (18 January 2017). Photo courtesy of Jun Ayensa

The City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) here issued alert level 2 around 4 p.m. Rainfall recorded was at 71.2 mm for three hours this afternoon, or an average of 23.[]

7mm per hour, according to Engr. Frances Semorlan of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Annette Villaces, city information officer, said that alert level 2 is raised when rainfall is between 16 and 30 mm per hour.

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The CDRRMO earlier raised alert level 1 shortly after noon when rainfall averaged at 8 mm per hour in the morning.

Villaces said classes from preschool to elementary level were suspended this afternoon.[]

Portions of the villages of San Juan, Washington and Taft have been flooded up to knee deep.

Many homes supplied by the Surigao Metropolitan Water District now either have no water or with minimal supply as the SMWD usually shuts down the pipes when water becomes murky at the source with the strong rains, said water district general manager Engr. Benjamin R. Ensomo Jr. (Roel N. Catoto / MindaNews)