‘Verbena’ rains unleash floods across Visayas
BACOLOD CITY—Heavy rains from Tropical Depression “Verbena” triggered widespread flooding, evacuations, class suspensions, and rising dam levels across the Visayas on Tuesday, affecting thousands of residents.
In Bohol, flooding struck several towns early on Tuesday after rivers overflowed following nonstop overnight rain, with rising waters submerging homes in Cortes, Antequera, Tubigon, Loon and Maribojoc.
Initial reports showed 345 families composed of at least 2,000 people sought shelter in evacuation centers across 13 Bohol towns.
In Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, thousands of residents were evacuated as heavy flooding inundated houses and rendered several roads impassable.
Bacolod residents who sought refuge in rooftops in Barangay Singcang Airport were rescued by the Philippine Red Cross and Bureau of Fire Protection personnel on Tuesday morning.
At least 398 families with 1,689 members from 18 barangays in Bacolod City were sheltered in evacuation centers, the local government said in an initial report at noon Tuesday.
In Negros Occidental, 4,230 families with 13,831 members in 13 towns and cities also sought refuge in evacuation centers, an initial report from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) showed.
Affected learners
The number was expected to rise as more reports were expected to come in, PDRRMO head Irene Bel Ploteña said.
In Cebu, severe flood inundated the center of Carcar City in southern Cebu as rivers overflowed, with streets turning into rivers as the rush of raging muddy water covered roads early on Tuesday. Severe flood also hit the southern town of Barili.
The Department of Education in Western Visayas (DepEd 6) said 778,598 learners across 2,135 schools in the region were affected by widespread class suspensions due to heavy rains and the threat of flooding and landslides.
Iloilo province recorded the highest number of affected students (342,578), followed by Capiz (151,783), Antique (120,926), Iloilo City (73,413), Guimaras (40,404), Roxas City (30,061), and Passi City (20,044).
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported that Verbena’s eye passed over Miagao, Iloilo, around 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Rising dam levels
In Eastern Visayas, 2,291 people (714 families) took shelter in evacuation centers, according to the Police Regional Office 8. Forty-five evacuation centers were occupied, mostly in Southern Leyte and Biliran, while more than 3,000 others were placed on standby.
Two sea voyages in Southern Leyte were canceled, stranding 230 passengers. One bridge in Libagon also remained impassable, though no landslides or major road blockages were reported.
Heavy rains also pushed water levels above normal operating thresholds in multiple dams across Western Visayas, including the Aklan-Panakuyan, Mambusao, and Sibalom-San Jose irrigation systems. Several sluice gates were opened in Antique and Aklan as precautionary measures.
In Iloilo City, 30 barangays across the districts of Arevalo, City Proper, Jaro, La Paz, Lapuz, Mandurriao, and Molo experienced flooding ranging from 5 inches to over 20 inches, according to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Across other areas in the Visayas, disaster response units remained on heightened alert, with local governments urging residents in low-lying and landslide-prone areas to stay vigilant as Verbena continues to bring heavy rainfall and swollen waterways. —REPORTS FROM CARLA P. GOMEZ, LEO UDTOHAN, JOEY A. GABIETA, HAZEL P. VILLA AND ALLAINE KATE LEDA
