BACOLOD City – Three local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental – San Enrique, Hinigaran and La Carlota City – declared a state of calamity as 149,962 Negrenses have been affected by heavy rains and floods as of Wednesday, September 18.
Inclement weather experienced in the province was caused by the southwest monsoon or habagat enhanced by Tropical Storm Ferdie, Tropical Depression Gener and Tropical Storm Helen.
Data from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) showed the affected persons belong to 43,312 families from 229 villages across 25 LGUs.
As of this writing, a total of 8,324 families, composed of 33,978 persons, were staying in evacuation centers, while 609 families, or 1,963 individuals, were staying with relatives or in other houses.
The PDRRMC said the province continued to monitor the increase in water level and flooding incidents and coordinates with LGUs regarding the augmentation of prepositioned assets once needed.
In a radio interview, La Carlota City’s Mayor Rex Jalando-on said several residents have been evacuated, including those in areas prone to landslides and affected by floods.
He added they also initiated a preemptive evacuation of residents in four sitios of Barangay Yubo following the increase in the seismic activity of Mt. Kanlaon.
In Hinigaran, Mayor Nadie Arceo said over 20,000 residents have been affected by floods.
In San Enrique, Mayor Jilson Tubillara said all their 10 villages have been flooded. (PNA)
