Flooding, traffic felt in some parts of Cebu due to Urduja

SIX-INCH flooding and traffic jams were experienced in some areas in Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue Cities as the rains brought by Tropical Storm Urduja continue today, Friday, December 15.

In Lapu-Lapu, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Andy Berame said a 6-inch flood was seen in the roads in Datag, Barangay Maribago and Mahayahay in Barangay Bankal.

Despite this, Berame said the roads were still passable.

A slight flood was also experienced in Sitio Tungdon in Barangay Basak.

According to Berame, the barangay officials used a motor pump to drain the rain water to a nearby drainage in the area.

Unlike other cities and municipalities, classes are held in the schools of Lapu-Lapu today.

City Mayor Paz Radaza did not find it necessary to cancel classes as they continue monitoring of the situation.

“Daghan naman tang no classes so daghang hulipan ang Deped sa Saturdays... I just feel mada ra man ang situation,” Radaza said.

(A number [of areas] have already declared no classes thus Deped have a lot to fill on Saturdays. I just feel the situation is manageable)

In Mandaue, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Felix Suico said they did not monitor any flooding as of 1 p.m.

He said traffic was heavy in the major roads of Mandaue due to the volume of vehicles.

In Cebu City, flood-prone Colon street already show a portion in three to four-inch flooding particularly the corner of Junquera-Colon streets where a drainage construction is underway.

>On alert

The police in Central Visayas are on alert on the possible effects of Tropical storm Urduja in Cebu and other provinces.

Northern Cebu, including Bantayan Island, was placed under Tropical Cyclone Signal Warning Number 1 (TCWS) Friday, December 15.

Superintendent Reyman Tolentin, the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas information officer, said the lower units were instructed to help local government units in monitoring the coastlines and landslide-prone areas.

Safety precautions, he said, were put in place on some portions of the road to avoid accidents.

Police officers were deployed to remind families to evacuate if they experience flooding.

TCWS Number 1 was declared in the provinces of Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands, Romblon, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Cebu including Bantayan Island, Capiz, Aklan, Northern Iloilo, Dinagat Island.

The province of Eastern and Northern Samar, Samar and Biliran is placed in TWCS Number 2. (Flornisa M. Gitgano and Kevin A. Lagunda/SunStar Cebu)