By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

No less than 29 homes were destroyed by tornadoes, which ravaged the town of Valladolid and the cities of Bago and Bacolod Thursday evening.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) issued a thunderstorm advisory over Negros Occidental warning people against heavy rains, strong winds, lightning and possible flash floods at around 5:28 p.m. Thursday, which could affect the province within the next 2 to 3 hours.
Valladolid town police chief, Police Senior Inspector Junjie Liba, said at around 8 p.m. during heavy rainfall, a tornado touched down at Purok Gumamela, Barangay Guintorilan, initially damaging three houses and forcing the occupants to flee.
The tornado then traveled north hitting the villages of Batuan and Ayungon in Valladolid before finally dissipating in the area of Barangay Sagasa in Bago City.
A damage assessment later done by the authorities determined around 20 houses were destroyed and around eight people were injured in the incident.
The agricultural sector of Valladolid was also not spared from the freak weather condition with the authorities reporting 200 banana trees were also destroyed.
Authorities in Bago City estimated the damage in Barangay Sagasa to be worth P380,000, while officials from Valladolid have yet to determine the cost of damages.
Similarly, a tornado also hit Purok Jalandon, Barangay 6 in Bacolod City around 7 p.m. Thursday. Reports released by the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) estimated around nine houses were either damaged or destroyed while one person was injured.
Based on eyewitness accounts, the tornado developed off the coast and traveled inland forcing the residents to flee. Authorities are still determining the cost of damages./WDJ