BACOLOD CITY – This city is under a state of calamity due to flood caused by the southwest monsoon or “habagat” enhanced by typhoon “Goring.”
MAYOR Alfredo Abelardo ‘Albee’ Benitez meets concerned agencies at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) on Wednesday, August 30, to discuss measures that will be implemented after the city was flooded due to the effects of typhoon "Goring" and southwest monsoon. (Photo courtesy of Bacolod PIO)
The city council has granted the request of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez for the declaration of a state of calamity after more than half of the barangays here were severely flooded in the past days.
The city council approved during their regular session on Wednesday, August 30, a resolution of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) recommending the declaration of a state of calamity due to the effects of the typhoon and southwest monsoon.
Thirty-three out of 61 barangays here were affected. These were Barangays 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 16, 18, 21, 29, 30, 35, 36, 39, 40, Alijis, Banago, Bata, Estefania, Cabug, Felisa, Handumanan, Mansilingan, Pahanocoy, Punta Taytay, Sum-ag, Singcang-Airport, Taculing, Tangub, Vista Alegre, Montevista, and Mandalagan.
Benitez and some concerned agencies met at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) on Wednesday to discuss measures that will be implemented after the city suffered from the effects of flooding.
Benitez, in a media interview, said that the root causes of flooding were discussed in the meeting.
Obstructions on rivers and creeks and the accumulation of sediments in waterways originating from upland areas were some of the root causes identified, according to Benitez. The lack of interconnection of inland drainage systems was also noted.
During the meeting, the construction of flood walls on vulnerable rivers and creeks, dredging of sediment-clogged waterways, interconnecting the existing drainage systems, upgrading the capacity of current drainage infrastructure, and implementing proper management practices to clear obstructions from rivers and creeks were proposed.
The initiative of Delta Works in Netherlands where a series of pumping stations that are responsible for controlling water levels and ensuring that excess water is pumped out to sea which prevents flooding was also discussed in the meeting.
The CDRRMO said 3,998 families or 12,868 individuals were affected by flooding since Sunday night, August 27.
Barangay Singcang-Airport has the highest number of evacuees at 2,789, followed by Barangay Sum-ag with 1,973, and Barangay Pahanocoy with 938.
There were 3,196 families or 9,527 persons who sought refuge in 54 evacuation centers.
Due to the state of calamity, classes in this city are suspended until September 1 to provide for the clearing and cleaning of several schools affected by the inclement weather.