The Weekly Vanguard 13th issue 10th issue | Seite 9

Dec . 19 - 24 , 2016

Vanguard Rains cause floods , landslides in Samar

CATBALOGAN CITY , Samar ( PIA )— The non-stop rains resulting from the tail end of the cold front ( amihan ) has brought flooding to many barangays in Samar . Yesterday , flooding was reported in Gandara town , where a rural health nurse Rona Magbutay said the LGU Christmas Party did not push through as the employees were busy evacuating residents in the low lying areas .

In San Jorge town in barangay Sapinit and Erenas , the highway was flooded that only buses could push through . Girlie Rose Alegre , a teacher from San Jorge national High School said Mayor Joseph Grey was distributing relief goods to the flood victims yesterday .

In Barangay San Fernando in Jiabong town , teachers who were stranded on the other side of the rampaging river had to hold ropes to secure them . The bamboo bridge was ravaged by the raging waters , reported by one teacher , Marvin Anonuevo .

In Barangay Lokilokon , Paranas town , more than a hundred vehicles were stranded as the highway leading to Eastern Samar on the Wright-Taft road was flooded . There the PIA learned were landslides and also flood in barangay Mabuhay and Malinao .

The DPWH Samar District 2 has posted an advisory that the Wright-Taft Road was closed to traffic and that motorists were advised to take the Basey-Marabut South Coastal road if they were bound for Borongan ,

Dolores , Oras and beyond .

The PDRRM Officer Manuel Van Torrevillas was reportedly doing the rounds of the flooded areas to assess the situation . As of press time , Samar was still experiencing intermittent rains .

The northern part of the island was likewise not spared from the torrential rains and the floods , especially in the second district of Northern Samar .

Vice Governor Gary M . Lavin has convened the Northern Samar Provincial Risk Management Council to assess the situation in Catubig and Las Navas towns .

Northern Samar 2nd District Rep . Edwin C . Ong said he and Governor Jose L . Ong Jr . have sent 1,000 sacks of rice to the two municipalities to be distributed to the flood victims .

Ong said each town was given 500 sacks .

The Philippine Atmospheric , Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has attributed the rains to the tail end of a cold front , adding that Northern Samar usually receives around 440 millimeters of rain in December , but the actual rainfall in the province this month has reached 331mm .

Department of Public Works and Highways ( DPWH ) Northern Samar 2nd District Engineering Office District Engineer Ferdinand Briones said all roads in his area are now passable .

Briones said a number of slope protection structures were damaged by the rains and only one lane has been opened in the national roads

9

Season ’ s Greetings

from

Gen . Danny D . Lim , AFP ( ret ) & Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa ( RAM ) & RAM Guardians Incorporated - Alakdan in Northern Samar ’ s 2nd district .

In the eastern part of the island , a farmer was killed while at least 1,600 families were affected Saturday last week when floods hit 11 barangays of Taft following incessant rains .

Municipal Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council ( MDRRMC ) head Gaspar Yuhan said the 11barangays were Mabuhay , 255 families ; Danao , 125 ; Bangdo , 120 ; Malinao , 228 ; Del Remedios 151 ; San Pablo , 174 ; Binaluan , 186 ; Lumatud , 167 ; Pangabutanp , 93 ; Gayam , 98 ; and Beto , 97 .

Yuhan said the municipal officials were set to meet on Sunday afternoon to discuss passing a resolution placing the town under a state of calamity .

The declaration would allow the municipal officials to tap the calamity funds to help residents affected by the floods that destroyed agricultural crops and livestock

He said water inundated rice lands and the national highway .

Yuhan said they planned to use 30 percent of the P4.4 million in calamity funds for relief operations for flood victims .

The weather bureau had reported that the downpour in the province dumped 300 mm of rain , which was equivalent to half a month of rain in December but was delivered in one day , resulting to heavy flooding .

Chief Insp . Don Archie Suspeñe , deputy group commander of Eastern Samar Police Public Safety Company , said landslides were reported in the mountain barangays of Bagacay in Hinabangan town , Samar and San Rafael , in Taft , Eastern Samar .

No one was reported hurt but the landslides blocked the road .#

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