More than 2,000 individuals were evacuated from river banks in Dumaguete City and Tayasan town as tropical depression Queenie sliced across the province yesterday, bringing heavy rains that caused flooding in many areas in Negros Oriental.

A number of persons were reported missing in various parts of the province, and authorities continue to search for them even after the storm had already passed Negros Oriental and was on its way to Palawan by mid-morning.

In Dumaguete City, around 1,200 individuals from 14 barangays were transferred to temporary shelters after Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria ordered a pre-emptive evacuation as of 8 a.m.

Majority of those evacuated lived along the banks of the Banica River and flood-prone areas. The families/individuals evacuated came from barangays Candauay (57 families/222 persons), Cadawinonan (51 families/216 persons), Poblacion 8 (60 families), Junob, 100 individuals;

Banilad (three families/18 individuals), Balugo (two families/10 people), Camanjac (8 families/30 people), Bajumpandan (one family/nine persons), Tabuctubig (26 families/86 individuals), Bagacay (nine families/49 people), Taclobo (13 families/33 people), Batinguel (three families/20 people), Buñao (five families), and Mangnao (20 families), an initial report from the City Social Welfare and Development Office showed.

The families are at evacuation centers that include elementary schools, multi-purpose centers and chapels.

Task Force SAGARR (Special Action Group Advocating for Rapid Reforms), with City Administrator William Ablong as ground commander, Rescue 348 and the city’s disaster management council, headed by Jose Chu, deployed to carry out the pre-emptive evacuation.

In Tayasan town, some 700 individuals were evacuated to higher ground after the four big rivers there flooded, Mayor Susano Ruperto Jr. said.

Most of those who were evacuated lived close to the river banks of Matuog, Palaslan, Tibyawan and Lutay, that swelled due to the heavy rainfall dumped by Queenie since Wednesday evening.

The Tibyawan River overflowed yesterday morning, pouring brackish water onto the town streets and causing flooding in many areas, he added. As of late yesterday, the River continued to spill over onto the roads although flooding had already subsided.

CASUALTIES

Ruperto also reported three casualties in his town due to Queenie. He identified those as Honeylyn Andales, 25, a mother of three from Sitio Pasong, Barangay Cambaye, who was swept away by flashfloods, together with her second child, at a tributary in the barangay, about seven kilometers upland from the highway.

Reports said Andales’ husband had first crossed the creek, bringing their youngest child to relatives on the other side. The husband said he would come back for his wife and two other children, but the woman apparently could not wait.

She reportedly brought with her the two other children and left the eldest by the river bank and crossed first with the middle child, a baby girl, when they were swept away by strong currents.

Ruperto said it was difficult to launch search-and-rescue operations for them due to the heavy rains and flooding.

A fisherman was also reported missing in Tayasan after he failed to return Wednesday evening while his three companions, who went out to sea with him in individual bancas, got back home, Ruperto said.

Other reported missing persons include a security guard in Ayungon and three fishermen in Zamboanguita.

The body of Rogin Amarante, 38, of Manjuyod town was also reportedly found floating off Zamboanguita town. He was on board a motorboat with three other fishermen from Siquijor to Manjuyod when the vessel capsized, initial police reports said.

POWER, BRIDGE DOWN

At the height of the storm yesterday, power was cut off in several parts of the province, particularly in the central and northern portions due to felled posts and trees, and a trip-off of the Amlan 69kV line.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines worked double time to restore electricity in affected areas.

Also, accessibility to the northern part of Negros Oriental has been cut off after a detour bridge in Tampocon, Ayungon collapsed.

The detour is no longer passable but a portion of the new bridge being constructed in Tampocon was opened to allow people to walk from one end to the other, Ruperto, former provincial engineer of Negros Oriental, said.

Other reported damages were the approach to the Calabnugan Bridge in Sibulan, and the cave-ins of portion of dikes constructed along Banica and Okoy rivers.

Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el Jr. Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, said they responded to a call for help from families who were trapped in their rooftops in Tayasan. Other barangays flooded in the town are Ilaya, Palaslan, Matoog, Poblacion, Magtuhao and Cabulotan, and families in these barangays were evacuated to safer grounds.

Meanwhile, Sagarbarria said the city residents are now more educated and have increased awareness on disaster preparedness. He attributed the minimal damage left behind by “Queenie” to the city’s disaster preparedness and mitigating measures.*JFP/JG

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