BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The cities of Victorias and Talisay in northern Negros Occidental ravaged by floods on New Year’s Day declared a state of calamity.
Strong rainfall on Jan. 1 triggered flash floods that submerged these cities in deep water, forcing the evacuation of thousands of villagers.
In Victorias City, 9,028 families in 19 villages were adversely affected. Some 46 houses were totally wrecked while 183 others were partially damaged.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) passed yesterday a resolution placing the entire locality under a state of calamity.
“We can now utilize the calamity fund to assist the affected families,” Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca said.
The city government is allocating P25 million to procure a dredging machine, he added.
In Talisay City, 4,661 families in 17 barangays were affected while 21 houses were considered totally damaged and 244 partially damaged.
Its SP approved a day earlier a resolution declaring a state of calamity based on the recommendation of Mayor Neil Lizares III.
Lizares said he is pushing for quick response assistance to the victims and for long-term solutions to address flood problems.
An initial step is the dredging work in the city’s two main river systems and waterways.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office is also set to discuss with the Office of Civil Defense the donation of equipment for the city and the plan to build a command center.
Also being planned are the inventory and future relocation of informal settlers residing under bridges, granting of livelihood projects to the affected families, revisiting of the local drainage plan, and regreening of the city.
“More work is ahead of us in our effort to protect the environment which will result in saving lives and property,” Lizares said. (With PNA/PN)
