AROUND 200 households in Barangays Paknaan and Casuntingan in Mandaue City experienced flooding after the Butuanon River overflowed earlier Tuesday, January 2.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CDRRM) Office recorded a damaged house after a mango tree fell in Sitio Riverside in Barangay Pagsabungan.
CDRRM Officer Felix Suico Jr. said no one was reportedly injured during the rains brought by Tropical Depression Agaton.
In Paknaan, Suico said around 200 households were hit by flood in Zone Ahos, Sili, Talong past 5 a.m. Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna, who served as the acting mayor, said the CDRRM personnel and some barangay officials told the families to evacuate after water entered their houses.
However, Fortuna said the families preferred to stay in their houses despite the flooding in Paknaan.
In Casuntingan, families of about 10 to 15 houses along the riverbank in Sitio Lub-ang were moved to an upper ground after Butuanon River overflowed.
“Earlier at past 5 a.m., the Butuanon river overflowed and we had to evacuate some residents living along the riverbank. They were provided with hot meals by our social welfare personnel. They have now returned to their homes after the water subsided,” said Fortuna.
From red alert, the CDRRM Office alert level was lowered to blue alert, which means that personnel were on-call, after Agaton left the Visayas.
In Misamis Oriental, at least 23 families, composed of 132 individuals, living in Barangay Upper Becerril in Boljoon, Southern Cebu were forcibly evacuated due to heavy flooding.
Julius Regner, public information officer of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), said two houses were swept away when the Lusapon River overflowed in the area.
The affected families are now currently staying at the Barangay Poblacion complex temporarily.
Boljoon Mayor Merlou Derama announced that classes in Boljoon Central Elementary School and Boljoon National High School will be suspended tomorrow, January 3, after both schools were affected by flooding. (with Justin K. Vestil/SunStar Cebu)
(Video by Allan Cuizon/SunStar Cebu