THE heavy downpour last Monday, July 8, 2024, ended up submerging around 10 houses in Zone 1, Barangay Buaya, Lapu-Lapu City in waist-deep floodwater.
Affected residents were shocked at their predicament.
“I’ve been a resident of Barangay Buaya for 23 years, but this is the first time we’ve experienced this. Everything is damaged beyond repair,” Antonio Tito Jr. said in Cebuano, referring to the appliances and other belongings they couldn’t save from the rising water.
Culprit
Tito attributed the flooding to an ongoing drainage project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 6th District along M.L Quezon National Highway.
He explained that since the project began, their area would get flooded during heavy rains.
When water fills the drainage, the water flows into residential houses, he said.
However, last Monday was the first time that the water level went waist-deep, he added.
“The drainage backfired because they didn’t create a proper outlet. They installed a sewer but didn’t provide a passage for it. We’re near the drainage project. I’m certain that 10 to 15 houses are affected, with ours being the most impacted as all water flows to our area. It’s painful to think about it,” Tito said in Cebuano.
Perla Amar, head of Lapu-Lapu City’s engineering office, said the drainage project is not yet connected to the final outfall.
“The DPWH is working on connecting the cross-drain to ultimately drain water into the sea. Hopefully, this will address the problem,” said Amar.
Tito called on the DPWH to address the matter as soon as possible to prevent a similar incident from happening.
“We’re not against the construction of the drainage because we know it’s for everyone’s benefit. But if it’s not fixed, the same circumstances will keep occurring, and we’ll be left to suffer,” he said in Cebuano.
He pointed out that affected residents did not receive any direct assistance from the City Government after the incident.
No comment
On Wednesday, July 10, representatives of the DPWH 6th District met with Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan to discuss the problem.
Mark Anthony Bautista, the City’s public information officer, said Chan has already directed the City’s Clean and Green Office to inspect and pump out any remaining water in the affected area.
As of press time, nothing remained of the floodwater save for the mud it left in its wake.
Bautista said they will inspect the affected area on Thursday afternoon, July 11.
SunStar Cebu reached out to the DPWH for more information about the drainage project, but the agency has yet to release an official statement. / DPC