ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews / 6 February) – A total of 1,258 families or 4,697 individuals from 21 barangays in Iligan City displaced by flooding caused by Tropical Storm “Basyang” have sought refuge at 23 evacuation centers as of 9:30 a.m. Friday, an official said.
The evacuees have been given initial food assistance, Evelyn Madrio, head of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), said.
The Emergency Operations Center based at Iligan City Hall led by Armien Alloro deployed emergency responders to various areas affected by flashfloods.
The center and CSWDO were still counting the number of families in different evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, Tubod Bridge between Barangays Mahayahay and Tubod has been closed to traffic starting 1:30 a.m. Friday after it overflowed due to heavy rains brought by “Basyang”.
The closure was implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways Lone Engineering District of Iligan.
The Iligan City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council chaired by Mayor Frederick Siao has ordered a two-day suspension of classes, from February 5-6.
“We are on top of the situation. In the case of barangay Mahayahay, the residents have been given an advice to evacuate days ahead but sad to say, some of them refused to leave their homes,” Siao told MindaNews in a phone interview.
He said a resident died from cardiac arrest.
The mayor said they were overwhelmed due to lack of personnel, and rescue operations were briefly suspended on Thursday night to assess the safety of the responders.
Siao said they have been proposing to DPWH to fund a dredging project for a landmass near Tubod Bridge that has narrowed the waterway.
“This will minimize flooding in Mahayahay but sad to note that DPWH has so many requirements. Grabe ka kote kaayo (It’s too cumbersome),” he added.
The flood swept away vehicles and filled the main streets of the city with garbage and debris.
At 2:13 a.m. Friday, the alarm system of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council sent a warning to mobile phone users of the incoming heavy rainfall in Lanao del Norte and Iligan.
John Paul Alindo, a resident, said a relative of his in Sitio Malindawag, Barangay Abuno showed a video of the bailey bridge and two houses in Malindawag and Panol-iran being washed out.
Citing state weather bureau Pagasa, Abeliza Manzano, chief of Lanao del Norte Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office said over 200 mm of rain from “Basyang” contributed to the flooding in Iligan.
“There was no heavy rainfall in the province but we are still monitoring the weather conditions,” Manzano said. (Richel V. Umel/MindaNews)
