Ruth Niog, of Gallera de Oro Subdivision in Bago Aplaya, Davao City, starts cleaning her house the morning after the flood that hit parts of Davao City Wednesday evening (8 November 2023). MindaNews photo by GREGORIO C. BUENO
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 10 November) – Silted and inadequate drainage systems and constricted natural waterways contributed to the spillover into residential areas of the floods that hit parts of Davao City on Wednesday night, Alfredo Baloran, chair of the City Disaster Risk Response and Management Office (CDRRMO) said Thursday.
Baloran said an ongoing river construction project from the Taal Bailey Bridge towards the coastal area contributed to the flooding in Talomo Proper.
Engr. Marivic Reyes, City Environment and Natural Resouces Office (CENRO) chief, said the department had already collected at least three truckloads of municipal waste.
Engr. Joseph Dominic Felizarta, City Engineer’s Office (CEO) chief, said the city was working on improving the water inlets that would help drain waters during rainy days.
Felizarta said it was one of the city’s priority infrastructure projects.
He said the inspection of inlets and canals showed there were portions of the city’s drainage facilities that were not only clogged by single-use plastics but also by mud and other debris.
‘No need for state of calamity’
Baloran, who was speaking in a press briefer at the Central 911 in Sandawa Thursday night, said his office would not recommend placing the seven barangays that were affected by the floods under a state of calamity.
He said the assistance to the affected families could already be shouldered by the city with no additional assistance required.
Dogs and their humans wade in floodwater in Gallera de Oro Subdivision in Bago Aplaya the morning after a flood submerged parts of Davao City Wednesday evening (8 November 2023). MindaNews photo by GREGORIO C. BUENO
The city government said that, as of Thursday night, six homes were totally damaged, while four others were partially damaged.
Three of the totally damaged homes were in Barangay Bago Gallera, while the remaining three were in Catalunan Pequeno.
The partially damaged homes were also in Catalunan Pequeno.
Meanwhile, at least seven four-wheeled vehicles and 10 motorcycles were scooped out by the CEO.
Another three motor vehicles were being towed as of this report, as the CENRO and CEO were working hand in hand to clear creeks of debris and waste.
The city recorded 1,011 families and 1,600 individuals hit by the floods. Of these, 2,230 individuals or 475 families were from Catalunan Pequeno, and 722 individuals or 476 families were from Bago Aplaya.
Baliok had 421 families and 178 individuals affected.
On Wednesday night, water levels at the Lipadas River along Barangay Inawayan and Crossing Bayabas reached critical conditions, at code red, and subsided around 1 a.m. Thursday. The early warning siren in Barangay Marapangi was sounded by 12:04 a.m., around an hour since the rains started. (MindaNews)
