Over 200 families evacuated as heavy rains inundate Metro Cebu

Local

IN LESS than an hour, rain drowned Cebu.

A sudden deluge late Friday, August 15, left some areas of Metro Cebu submerged in knee- to neck-deep floods that stranded motorists, crippled traffic, swept away vehicles, and forced families to flee rising waters.

By Saturday morning, August 16, the Cebu City Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) confirmed one home in Barangay Pit-os was completely destroyed, displacing a family of five. They will receive food packs, hot meals, and P20,000 in cash aid from the city government.

DSWS chief Portia Basmayor said more families were affected across riverside barangays. In Pahina Central, at least 42 households (85 families, 304 people) in Riverside and 56 households (149 families, 495 people) in Tumoy were evacuated when floodwaters invaded their homes.

The evacuees were sheltered at the Cebu City Medical Center gym but were expected to return once the waters subsided.

A landslide in Sitio Pine 3, Barangay Busay, also partially damaged a home, affecting a family of five. Authorities recommended P20,000 in financial assistance and construction materials for repairs.

Torrential rain explained

Pagasa-Mactan recorded 23 millimeters of rainfall in just 48 minutes between 10:30 and 11:30 p.m. Friday, equivalent to nine Olympic-size swimming pools of water per square kilometer.

Engineer Al Quiblat, Pagasa-Mactan chief, said the downpour was not caused by a typhoon but by the southwest monsoon (habagat) intensified by thunderstorms.

“There is no tropical cyclone inside PAR. The rains were due to the habagat with severe thunderstorm activity. It’s the same weather system that also hit Cebu last July 16,” Quiblat clarified.

Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu also swamped

Floodwaters reached waist-deep levels near the Marcelo Fernan Bridge’s Lapu-Lapu approach, prompting its closure at 1:45 a.m. Saturday. The bridge reopened around 3:30 a.m., with traffic temporarily rerouted to the old Mandaue-Mactan Bridge.

In Mandaue City, the Butuanon River overflowed, inundating several barangays including Paknaan, Cabancalan, Casuntingan, Tingub, Umapad, Maguikay, and Canduman.

Videos from Paknaan showed raging currents sweeping away a taxi and a multicab.

Other areas affected

In Cebu City, the Guadalupe River swelled dangerously close to overflowing, while Sapangdaku also reported severe flooding.

At Sitio Maaslom in Barangay Busay, trees and soil erosion blocked part of the Transcentral Highway.

Councilor Joel Garganera declared it impassable Friday night, but Councilor Dave Tumulak said the road was cleared by Saturday morning.

Pagasa warnings

The state weather bureau said Friday’s rains were triggered by the trough of a low-pressure area combined with the habagat.

In its Saturday bulletin, Pagasa warned of more scattered rains and thunderstorms across Luzon and the Visayas and urged vigilance in flood-prone areas.(TGP)