Heavy rains that fell between Thursday evening and Friday morning caused flooding in Victorias City, Talisay City, and EB Magalona. In addition, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) issued a heavy rain warning for Cadiz City, Victorias City, Silay City, EB Magalona, and Manapla.

According to PAGASA, while there is no weather disturbance creating the heavy precipitation, a northeast monsoon and the tailend of a cold front are the cause of the rain.

Victorias City Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca reported a dam collapsed in Barangay Alacaygan, EB Magalona, which resulted in flooding in his city’s Barangay XIX-A, resulting in roads being deemed impassable.

The mayor noted, 16 other barangays also experienced flooding, with the city social services office reporting 2,800 households were forced to evacuate. He said the Victorias Sports Coliseum, along with several public schools, were capable of serving as evacuation shelters.

Palanca said the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), since Thursday night, recorded 1.06mm of rainfall every hour.

The situation also forced the mayor to suspend all classes, however, with waters beginning to recede as of Friday afternoon, a State of Calamity declaration became unnecessary.

In Talisay City, meanwhile, around 87 families were also evacuated on Thursday night.

The city DRRMO said heavy rains caused a flash flood in the city, with some areas reporting to have flood waters reach as high as a two-story building within a matter of five to ten minutes after the rains started.

A landslide was also reported in Barangay Guimbalaon in Silay City, resulting in a major roadway being blocked for almost the entire morning before the City Engineer’s Office cleared the debris and reopened it to traffic./DGB, WDJ