DAVAO CITY – A heavy downpour resulted in flash flood affecting barangays here from Wednesday night to Thursday morning.
Flood swept away vehicles and caused significant damage, particularly at Samantha Homes in Barangay Bago Gallera and Susana Homes in Barangay Baliok, Talomo District.
THE Special Rescue Force of the Bureau of Fire Protection-Region 11 rescued flooded residents in Bago Gallera, Davao City on Wednesday night, November 8 until early morning of Thursday, November 9. (BFP 11 FB)
Other barangays affected according to the city government, Davao City Police Office (DCPO), and Baliok Police Station were Bago Aplaya, Talomo Poblacion, Matina Aplaya, Catalunan Pequeño, Ma-a, and Santo Niño.
Residents sought safety on the rooftop of their homes and some affected families evacuated to higher ground and temporary shelters as per instruction of rescuers before the waters went up.
John Christian, from Samantha Homes, said in a Facebook post that he had never witnessed or experienced this since he started living in Samantha Homes. He described this experience as “a hell of a nightmare.”
Many affected families posted video clips on Facebook and the Davao City Public Information and Inquiry Facebook page, describing their situation and requesting assistance from authorities.
In a video footage, a woman stranded on a rooftop with her children at Susana Homes was crying as if she was on the brink of death from the rising floodwaters and called for help.
“First time ever binaha sa subdivision namin. Weird kasi taas jud amoa place pero nag flash flood (This is the first time the subdivision experienced a flash flood. It is strange because it is situated on higher ground but flooded),” Jonathan Cadeliña, a resident of Samantha Homes, said.
In another video footage by Retsel Semaj, he recorded a resident trying to swim through the strong current of waters to reach a person he heard crying out for help.
The Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) initially recorded 127 internally displaced families or 454 individuals. No deaths were reported.
As hundreds of families sought help following the above-the-head-level flash flood, hundreds of commuters were trapped in the downtown area due to above-ankle flood on some streets and a knee-deep flood on McArthur Highway in Matina.
Shan Nacua, a student in Bangkal, said that she arrived in her rented room at past 2 a.m. She added that she was stranded due to the street flood and emergencies in other areas.
“When I arrived on the street where I rented a space, I had to walk through an above-ankle flood just to reach the house. It was a long evening and, I guess, a dawn for me,” Nacua said.
The city government suspended classes on all levels on Thursday morning in identified barangays affected by the heavy rain.
Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte suspended classes to ensure public's safety and preventive measures against potential adverse events caused by rainfall and flooding.
A cluster of multiple vehicles was discovered in a stream at Samantha Homes Subdivision in Bago Gallera on Thursday morning, following the flash flood, which subsided that morning.
Davao City Rep. Paolo Z. Duterte distributed food packs, bottled water, lunch, and hot meals to flood victims here on Thursday morning.
The Mindanao Regional Services Division of the State weather bureau issued thunderstorm advisory No. 3 indicating moderate to heavy rainfall with lightning and strong winds in some parts of Region 11 on Thursday morning.
Areas affected were the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) in Davao del Norte, Davao City, and Davao del Sur in Region 11, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, and other parts of Mindanao.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) issued on November 8 general flood advisory No. 2 for the Davao region with a forecast of isolated rains or thunderstorms due to a low-pressure area (LPA) at 185 kilometers west of Dipolog City.