Huge waves batter coastal areas
-A A +ABy Alger Dura
Thursday, July 5, 2012
HUGE waves affected more than 50 families, damaging at least nine houses in three areas in Davao City past midnight Wednesday.
The affected areas were Aroma, Times Beach, Barangay 76-A Bucana; Agdao Beach, Sta. Cruz, Barangay Leon Garcia; and Punta Dumalag, Barangay Matina Aplaya.
Based on initial reports from the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DCDRRMC), 46 families were affected by the strong waves in Times Beach, while three families were affected in Agdao Beach.
"Three houses ang totally damaged ug six houses ang partially damage sa Times Beach," Dante Donaire, Development and Management Officer III of DCDRRMC said in an interview with Sun.Star Davao SuperBalita on Wednesday.
"Usa lang ka balay sa Agdao Beach nga naay tulo ka pamilya nga renters ug 17 ka mga dependents (Only one house with three renters and 17 members was damaged in Agdao Beach)," Donaire said.
The victims said huge waves started to pummel their houses around 1 a.m. in Barangay Leon Garcia. The waves also destroyed houses in Times Beach, Barangay 76-A Bucana, around 4 a.m.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the phenomenon is called a "sea swell".
"Dili to monsoon wave ang hinungdan sa pagbalod, apan sea swell daw to ingon sa Pag-asa," Donaire said.
As defined by Wikipedia, “a swell, in the context of an ocean, sea or lake, is a series of surface gravity waves that is not generated by the local wind” or the wind that Davao has been getting at that time, but rather by wind generated elsewhere, or some time ago.
The official has advised residents living the coastal areas on Wednesday to vacate their homes.
"Ang among gikahadlokan, basin modako ang balod karong gabii mao nga amo silang gipaadto sa barangay covered court, pero hangtud karong hapon wala gihapon sila mihawa (We fear that the waves might swell again tonight so we urged them to take shelter at the barangay covered court. As of this afternoon, the residents have yet to leave their homes)," Donaire said.
As of this posting Wednesday, the DCDRRMC is still checking on families in Punta Dumalag, Barangay Matina Aplaya.
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on July 05, 2012.
Local news
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