THREE individuals onboard a taxicab were swept away by a flash flood triggered by a heavy downpour at around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, 2019.
The three individuals sustained minor injuries during the incident. The taxi, which had come from the airport, was hit by a huge log.
At around 8 p.m., heavy rains began to pour and while they were traversing Diversion Road, floodwaters and debris swept through the road.
Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) operations officer Rodrigo Bustillo on Thursday said in an interview that the incident happened when the fence of a construction site collapsed and water that had accumulated at the site rushed through the road.
“Pagbaba sa tubig, mao to nadala ang kahoy, mga yuta, mga debris, mga boulders, pagkahagsa ato, timing nga maoy pag-agi sa taxi gikan sa airport. Pagtunong nila maoy pagkahagsa mao tong nabanlas sila sa kilid na side sa tabok (The flash flood also washed away the soil, debris, boulders. It was just a coincidence that when it went down, the taxi was also crossing the road),” Bustillo said, adding that the victims did not sustain major injuries but were perhaps traumatized by their experience. The vehicle was also wrecked.
He also said that after the incident, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH 11) implemented a temporary closure of C.P. Garcia Highway (Diversion Road) from Junction Ulas to Junction Ma-a Road due to an impending threat of ground movement near Las Terrazas.
Motorists were advised to take alternate routes while clearing operations were ongoing. It was already passable as of Thursday.
Bustillo said they made the precautionary measure because of the risk in the upper portion of the area where there is an ongoing road widening and construction of a drainage system. There might be a possibility that the culvert will fall.
“But this morning gitanggal naman sa contractor tong mga culvert so mao to nga gi-open na nato pwede na maagian but however, kung duna napod pag-ulan nga himoon, kung dunay mga threats nga atong makita, then we will advised again the closure of Diversion Road (The contractor removed the culvert this morning that is why we opened the Diversion Road. However, if there is another downpour, we will close it again if there is a threat),” Bustillo added.
CDRRMO then advised DPWH to ensure the safety of the public when they construct their projects to avoid a similar incident. They also prepositioned personnel from Barangay Maa and Barangay Langub to put warning signs to caution the motorists due to imminent danger because of the unstable slopes in the area.
Another ground assessment was held Thursday with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.
Meanwhile, CDRRMO advised the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 11 to put a warning sign in the low-lying area of its road widening project.
CDRRMO chief Alfredo Baluran said he is personally not aware that DPWH placed a dike in a portion of its ongoing road widening project in Langub Road going to Magtuod Road.
Baluran said he then ordered the project contractor to remove some debris that might be swept by the heavy downpour.
"We requested them to put warning signs and warning devices for the motorist to be aware since almost every night we are experiencing rainfalls," he said.
He also requested DPWH to pile up cement blocks, which would serve as a barricade, to prevent the ground from blocking the road.
DPWH Davao chief information officer Dean Ortiz, meanwhile, said they are complying with CDDRMO's directives.
"We have also closed a few lanes to give way to the repairs," Ortiz said, ensuring the safety of motorists passing through the highway.
He said the ground from the enbankment was already saturated, which easily softened the ground when the heavy rainfall occurred.
He also said the agency is in coordination with the city. (With RGL)