Another storm brings more woes to Visayas, parts of Mindanao
TACLOBAN CITY—A number of localities in Visayas and Mindanao experienced continuous rains ahead of Tropical Depression “Wilma’s” landfall on Friday night in Eastern Visayas, triggering evacuation, flooding, landslides, widespread class and work suspensions, and causing damage to roads and infrastructure.
A number of areas affected by Wilma have still to fully recover from three previous storms—Typhoon “Tino” (international name: Kalmaegi) on Nov. 4; and Supertyphoon “Uwan” (Fung-Wong) on Nov. 9; and Typhoon “Verbena” (Koto) on Nov. 24 and Nov. 25.
The visit of President Marcos in Bacolod City on Friday to launch the “Oplan Kontra Baha” was cancelled due to the incoming storm.
In Bohol, Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado suspended on Friday the ongoing annual games Bohol Provincial Meet 2025 in Valencia town, which started on Dec. 3 and was to end on Saturday.
Aumentado said the suspension was necessary to ensure the safety of student-athletes, coaches, officials and spectators. Delegations were instructed to return to their respective localities.
Wilma, packing a sustained winds of up to 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gust of up to 55 kph, was projected to make landfall over Eastern Visayas between late Friday and early Saturday before it would continue to traverse over the Visayas until Sunday, and before emerging over Sulu Sea and may pass over northern Palawan by Monday morning, according to the 5 p.m. bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Floods
Pagasa forecast Wilma to bring heavy rains across Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Siquijor, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Camiguin on Friday.
In the Samar provinces, floodwater submerged several areas in Catarman, the capital of Northern Samar; and Borongan City and Quinapondan in Eastern Samar, as the weather system continued to dump heavy rains.
In Borongan City, the provincial capital, at least 364 families from Barangay Siha were affected by flooding, according to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Other barangays—Cagbonga, Cabong, San Pablo and Suribao—also reported inundation.
In Negros Occidental, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson ordered the preemptive evacuation of persons living in high-risk areas since Thursday, in anticipation of heavy rainfall.
In Southern Leyte, a rockslide hit a section of a major road in Barangay Kahupian in Sogod town, prompting authorities to warn motorists of possible further slope failures as the rains persist.
In Dinagat islands, several villages in Libjo town were cut off from the rest of the town after a culvert bridge in Barangay Doña Helen became impassable after it was severely damaged by flooding.
Class, travel suspensions
Barangay leaders in affected areas were still working on alternative routes and the assistance that could be provided to affected communities while repair work was pending.
Amid worsening weather conditions, suspension of classes and work were implemented in Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, and Biliran; and class suspension in several municipalities in Leyte and Samar, in Cagayan de Oro City and Misamis Occidental (Concepcion, Jimenez, Tudela, Lopez Jaena, Sinacaban and Panaon, and the provincial capital Oroquieta City), Bohol, Bacolod City and Negros Occidental (cities of Victorias, Sagay, Cadiz, Silay, San Carlos and Himamaylan; and towns of Hinigaran, Hinoba-an, Calatrava, Pulupandan, and La Castellana).
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) suspended sea travel in Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, western Leyte, Biliran, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Misamis Occidental.
The PCG also issued a maritime advisory after a nonpropelled barge, Green Dragon, went missing near Homonhon Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar. Its anchor reportedly broke, causing the unmanned vessel to drift from its mooring area. —REPORTS FROM JOEY GABIETA, CARLA P. GOMEZ, FROILAN GALLARDO, LEO UDTOHAN, LEAH D. AGONOY AND CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN
