Downpour floods downtown areas

THE Labor Day heavy downpour, which started late in the afternoon until late evening, submerged some areas in downtown Davao City and left many people stranded.

Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) operation officer Rodrigo Bustillo said during an interview that most of the flooded areas were only in the city’s center, attributed to the problem on the existing drainage system.

He added the construction of buildings and structures beside or on top of drainage ways could also be a factor in the street flooding as it affects the flow of water.

At around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, the canal in Roxas Avenue overflowed.

One of the netizens commented on a SunStar Davao post, “The horizon may be promising and industrialization is just at arm’s length away for you, but please, please, please come up with a well laid out city plan where urbanization can be done slowly and surely without compromising nature, just like Singapore, Japan.”

The forecast from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Thunderstorm Advisory No. 4 issued at 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, said a moderate to heavy rains with lightning and strong winds due to thunderstorms are being experienced in some parts of Mindanao.

Affected areas are Davao City, over portions of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay (Mabuhay, Talusan, Alicia, Malangas, Diplahan, Buug), Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte (Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Nunungan), Bukidnon(Quezon, Valencia, Talakag, Manolo Fortich, Sumilao), North Cotabato, Maguindanao, South Cotabato (Surallah, Lake Sebu),Davao del Sur (Digos City, Sta.Cruz, Bansalan).

Residents located in these areas were advised to take precautionary measures against the impacts associated with the hazards which include flashfloods and landslides.

Bustillo, meanwhile, reported that a landslide incident happened due to continuous heavy rain at around 11 p.m. on Wednesday at Wellspring 3 Catalunan Pequeño, Davao City.

Following the incident, they advised preemptive evacuation to four affected families, and no casualty has been reported.

In their formal report, they recommended immediate relocation to affected families and declare the area as no habitation zone because of safety risk.