12,000 residents flooded; no suspension of sea trips

NEARLY 12,000 residents in six localities in Negros Occidental were affected by flooding and tornado brought by the heavy rains in the past two days.

Records at the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office showed that four houses were destroyed while two were damaged in Barangay Busay, Bago City that affected six families.

The localities that were affected by flooding were Barangays Enclaro, San Vicente, Marina, San Juan, Progreso, Canmoros, San Pedro, Bagroy, San Jose, Payao, San Teodoro, and Paglaum in Binalbagan; six barangays in Valladolid; five barangays in Pulupandan, one barangay each in Pontevedra and Bago City.

The Local Government provided assistance that includes rice, noodles and sardines to the affected residents.

(Sea trips continue)

Lieutenant Senior Grade Jimmy Vingno, chief of Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Station-Bacolod said yesterday that there was no suspension of sea trips in Negros Occidental amid intermittent rains brought by the heavy rains.

Vingno said there were short delays on trips as they assess the weather and sea condition if they will allow vessels to go on with their scheduled trips.

He said there was just an influx of passengers in seaports but everything is manageable because there were Coast Guard personnel who are deployed to assist passengers and to ensure order.

There were no reports on stranded passengers in seaports, Vingno said.

He also said that his office has not received any reports on drowning incidents and missing persons related to the tropical depression that triggers the Southwest monsoon.

Vingno said personnel of Coast Guard sub-stations conduct foot and mobile patrol in coastal areas to check the situation.

They were also advised to coordinate with the head office in case of untoward incidents, he added.