ILOILO – Four more local government units (LGUs) here declared a state of calamity on Wednesday due to massive flooding – Passi City, Ajuy, Pototan, and San Enrique.
The other day, the LGU of Sara was the first to make a such declaration so it could use its calamity fund.
Vice Mayor Jesry Palmares of Passi City said they would buy rice, canned goods, bottled water, and medicines, among other and distribute these to 2,372 displaced families (9,192 individuals) now temporarily staying in evacuation centers.
Passi City has 51 barangays; 33 of these were flooded or suffered from landslides.
“Madamo houses nga na-wash out sang baha,” said Palmares.
Three bridges collapsed in barangays Alimono, Igtambo kag Sarapan, he added.
Passi never experienced a severely destructive flood until now, according to Palmares.
“Subong lang ‘ni. Nakibot gani kami,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Jett Rojas said nearly all of Ajuy’s 34 barangays got flooded.
“Ila mga balay, gamit sa panimalay, ila nga mga agriculture, mga pumpboats nila, tapos mga dalan grabe gid ang guba. Daw indi ko ma-imagine kon paano namon ‘ni masarangan,” said Rojas.
According to the mayor, 10,866 families composed of 59, 942 individuals temporarily moved to evacuation centers.
Ajuy also recorded one casualty from the flooding – Alfred Osano, 41, of Barangay Taguhangin.
The town of Pototan declared a state of calamity, too. Twenty-three of its 50 barangays got flooded.
“Typhoon Agaton caused moderate to heavy rainfall, inducing widespread flood,” according to the Sangguniang Bayan of Pototan in a resolution.
“Placing the municipality under the state of calamity will hasten the community’s recovery through efficient mobilization and utilization of the local government’s resources, directed relief and rehabilitation to disaster stricken areas,” the resolution added.
Data from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office showed 829 families (3,403 individuals) in Pototan were displaced.
The municipality of San Enrique was also placed under a state of calamity. According to Mayor Rosario Mediatrix Fernandez, 1,163 families (5,896 individuals) needed assistance.
On April 12, the San Enrique LGU made emergency purchases – mainly food for the displaced.
Twenty-one barangays of San Enrique (out of 28) were inundated, said Fernandez./PN
