A resident describes how high the water from Talomo River rose on Wednesday night (August 28, 2019) in Taal 1, Bangkal in Davao City. (Aug. 29, 2019). MindaNews photo by GG BUENO
DAVAO CITY (DAVAO CITY/29 August) – A total of 545 families from six barangays of Davao City were displaced after the Talomo River overflowed following heavy rains Wednesday evening, according to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC)-Davao Region.
The families from the flooded portions of Los Amigos, Tugbok, Talomo, Bangkal, Ulas and Matina Pangi sought refuge at Los Amigos Evacuation Center, barangays halls and barangay gymnasiums, RDRRMC said.
It added the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office imposed forced evacuation in Barangay Matina Aplaya, Barangay Crossing and Matina Pangi. Responders also conducted a rescue operation in Talomo.
It said power outages occurred in the affected barangays since Wednesday as part of the precautionary measures of the Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC).
Workers clear mud from their garage in Bangkal, Davao City the morning after heavy rains in the mountain barangays of the city caused an overflow of the Talomo River and flooded a few barangays in the city by evening of Wednesday night, August 28, 2019. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO
In a statement issued at 9:40 a.m. Thursday, DLPC said power lines were cut at 7 p.m. Wednesday to avoid “electrocution incidents as water already submerged houses and their electrical outlets.” Power has not been restored in Bangkal, Ulas and Tugbok
“Davao Light is exerting its best efforts in order to expedite the repairs of the power lines. The power supply will be restored in the isolated areas only after repairs are done and a thorough inspection on customers’ facilities is completed to ensure safety of customers,” it said.
In a forecast issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration at 4 a.m. on Thursday, Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers due to localized thunderstorms.
Residents of several subdivisions in Bangkal, Davao City seek refuge at the covered court of the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Central Park Subdivision, Bangkal due to the flash flood Thursday night, 28 August 2019. The residents returned home when the waters subsided. MindaNews photo by GREGORIO BUENO
It added Davao Region will continue to experience cloudy to very cloudy skies with scattered and intermittent light to moderate rainshowers.
Lorna Alderite, acting chief of the Farm Division of the City Agriculturist Office, said an assessment is ongoing to determine the damage to crops.
She said affected farmers of high value crops and operators of catfish ponds in Los Amigos can access support from the city government.
“For owners of the fishponds, you can request for free fingerlings every first Friday of the month,” she said. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
