City to repair flood-damaged structures

THE Zamboanga City Government is set to start the rehabilitation of all damaged structures, specifically riprap and slope protection projects, inundated by the incessant rains that caused massive flooding in low lying areas in the city.

The heavy rains brought by Typhoon “Lawin” (international name: Jelawat) battered Zamboanga City from Friday until Monday resulting to massive flooding and destruction to houses located near coastal areas due to huge waves.

Mayor Celso Lobregat said on Wednesday that the City Engineer’s Office has submitted its report on the different structures that need rehabilitation and repair as well as the plans and cost estimates for the work.

The City Engineer’s Office reported that among the riprap projects damaged due to the flooding Sunday were those located in Manggal, Baliwasan; Tabuk, San Jose Gusu; Maasin and several other villages.

The city’s calamity funds will be used for the rehabilitation work following the declaration of a state of calamity in Zamboanga City, the mayor said.

The hardest hit villages were Vitali, Tictapul, Mangusu, Divisoria, Boalan and Tugbungan and Lanzones in the east coast and Labuan, Patalon, Baliwasan, San Jose Gusu, Sta. Barbara and Sta. Cruz Island (Zone IV) in the west coast.

The calamity killed a five-year old boy in the village of Labuan and wounded a woman whose house collapsed.

Almost 1,700 families were displaced and some 1,200 hectares of farmlands and fishponds including seaweed plantations were destroyed.

Lobregat said the calamity funds will be used to address the needs of the affected residents to include the repair and rehabilitation of the infrastructures.

Meanwhile, classes in all schools and all levels returned to normal starting Wednesday except in two schools -- Tugbungan Elementary School and the Don Gregorio Evangelista Memorial School in Sta. Catalina -- which remain underwater.