IT WAS a tough start for Negros Occidental and Bacolod City as they were greeted by flash floods that affected thousands of Negrenses, a road accident, and drowning and crime incidents on New Year’s Day.
Flash floods hit at least four local government units in the Third District of the province during New Year's Day that resulted in one death and evacuation of thousands of residents.
Zeaphard Caelian, head of the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD), said the hardest hit by the flooding was Victorias City, which affected 8,976 families from its 17 barangays. The city also recorded one death.
A total of 37 houses were either washed out or totally damaged, while 127 others were partially damaged, the PDMPD damage report showed.
In Silay City, 706 families were affected by the flooding, the report said. There were also five partially damaged houses and 100 damaged livestock in the city.
It also reported that 3,990 families in 12 barangays of Talisay City were affected.
A total of 17 totally damaged houses and 31 partially damaged houses were recorded in Talisay. Three partially damaged and one totally damaged pump boats were also reported.
The city also reported that the wall of the Inocencio V. Ferrer School of Fisheries in Barangay Zone 3 collapsed.
The municipality of EB Magalona has not yet submitted its damage report to the provincial government.
Most of the residents who were evacuated because of the flood have already returned home, Caelian said.
A total of 13,772 families in 42 barangays in the Third District were affected by the flash floods.
Accidents
The New Year’s celebration of a family in Victorias City also turned tragic after the body of Ramil Panes, 26, who was reported missing since a drinking spree with friends on New Year’s Eve, was found dead along the shoreline of Barangay 6-A in Victorias City.
In Bacolod City, a 14-year-old boy died while two others were injured after they figured in an accident on New Year’s Day on Araneta Street, Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City.
Police identified the fatality as Francis Batac of Barangay Singcang-Airport. His two companions aged 13 and 17 were also injured.
Police Captain Jun Ray Batadlan, chief of Police Station 8, said Batac was onboard a Nissan Navara driven by his 17-year-old friend with their 13-year-old companion around 1:30 a.m. when they hit the center island on Araneta Street.
Batac sustained serious injuries and died on the spot, while his two companions were brought to the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center.
Investigation showed that Batac and the 13-year-old boy were only asked by their 17-year-old friend to go with him on a ride using the vehicle of his employer.
Batac said the vehicle was overspeeding and the driver, who had no driver’s license, was allegedly drunk. They crashed into the center island and turned turtle.
Shooting incident
In Bacolod, a 27-year-old man was shot to death by an unidentified assailant on New Year’s Day in Purok Sigay, Barangay 2.
Police identified the fatality as Jomar Pahamutang of Barangay 2.
Police records showed the victim sustained multiple wounds after he was shot by an unidentified assailant around 2:30 a.m.
The victim was brought to Riverside Medical Center, but he did not survive. The suspect fled on board a motorcycle.
Police recovered from the scene of the crime six empty shells of .45 caliber and a slug.
Investigators of Police Station 2 are still conducting a thorough investigation to identify and arrest the suspect.
'Generally peaceful'
The celebration of New Year's Day in the province had been generally peaceful, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) said.
Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, NOCPPO spokesperson, said the number of firecracker-related injuries in the province was low, with only four incidents recorded this year.
Two of the incidents are from Bago City and two from the town of Cauayan.
There were also no shooting incidents during the celebrations and no recorded incidents of stray bullets.
Donasco said the heavy rains and the blackout experienced in some parts of the province also helped.