CEBU CITY -- Huge waves hit some 60 households in two barangays in Talisay City, Cebu since Saturday.
Residents in Barangays Cansojong and Poblacion had to move out last Saturday night after storm surges brought about by Tropical Storm Egay (Linfa) slammed into their houses.
In Cansojong, 10 families in Sitio Abalo Beach sought shelter in a nearby public school after seven-foot waves swept their houses last Saturday noon.
Aimee Cuanan, 26, said she was sleeping with her five-year-old son when seawater suddenly entered their hut. Her house was a few meters from the shoreline.
Cuanan said she was swept away by the huge waves while she attempted to escape from their house with her son.
By the time she got out, the waves broke her house.
Neighbors
Aside from Cuanan, her nine neighbors also lost their houses due to the huge waves.
Cuanan and her fellow evacuees are currently staying at the Cansojong National High School.
In Poblacion, around 57 residents in Sitio Asam had to temporarily leave their houses after huge waves entered their homes last Sunday night.
But Christopher Estrabon, head of Talisay City’s Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (LDRRM) office, said only a few houses were damaged and almost all residents returned to their homes after the waves subsided.
Provisions
In response to what had happened in Cansojong and Poblacion, Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes immediately ordered the City Social Welfare Office to provide food, especially to those who were evacuated.
De los Reyes said he plans to convince the City Council to build a seawall in the area.
During the previous administrations, seawalls have been built in some parts of Poblacion and Dumlog to protect residents from storm surges. (JKV/Sun.Star Cebu)