ILOILO City – Following widespread flooding that affected more or less 15,000 individuals from 3,500 to 4,000 families, Mayor Stephen Palmares placed Passi City under a state of calamity.
On Thursday, May 4, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDDRMC) chaired by Palmares convened. Passi City was the first local government unit (LGU) in Region 6 to declare a state of calamity due to flooding caused by heavy rains brought by a low-pressure area and an inter-tropical convergence zone.
“Out of 51 barangays naton, 32 gid ang naapektaran ka baha tapos daw halos 10 ka mga barangay ang badly hit. Aton apektado more or less 3,500 to 4,000 families,” said Palmares in an interview with Panay News yesterday.
The 10 badly hit barangays were located along the Jalaur River, where the water was at a critical level at the time.
The Jalaur River, also known as Jalaud River, is the second longest river in Panay Island with a total length of 123 kilometers.
“Grabe ang baha, tama ka dasig. For the past 10 years, amo dya pinakadalom nga baha nga na-eksperyensyahan naton sa Passi City,” said Palmares.
Due to the flood, the city government conducted a preemptive evacuation and some were rescued from being trapped in their houses especially those staying in Gawad Kalinga in Barangay Agdahon.
As of Thursday afternoon, most evacuees returned to their homes after the flood waters subsided.
The Passi City government will use its five percent calamity fund to help the affected residents. Family food packs were distributed while the city government is still consolidating reports on the damages to houses, livelihoods and infrastructure.
Classes were still suspended yesterday.
“Nakabalik dun garing ang tanan nagapaninlu kag iban nagapakay-ad kang guba-guba nanda nga balay amo na nga nag-decide kita nga wala ran kar-on klase to give way sa pagbalik sang aton mga kasimanwa,” said Palmares yesterday.
How to alleviate flooding in Passi City?
According to Palmares, he and Department of Agrarian Reform Undersecretary Jesry Palmares are trying to find funds to install a river wall in the 10 barangays that surround the Jalaur River to stop the overflow.
The city mayor is urging residents to, in cases of heavy rainfall, coordinate with the barangay officials to do a preemptive evacuation./PN
