By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A localized thunderstorm experienced late Saturday afternoon, June 5, in Bacolod City has inundated several areas and triggered evacuations in some areas of the city.

Bacolod City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) cluster head Joemarie Vargas said they immediately mobilized their teams after receiving an advisory from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) that the city and other nearby areas will experience moderate to heavy rains.

Several families, especially those living near the city’s main waterways were immediately evacuated. The areas include barangays Alijis, Montevista, Sum-ag, and Tangub.

Flooding has also been reported in barangays Mandalagan, Mansilingan and Pahanocoy.

In Barangay Sum-ag alone, flood was noted to be chest-deep which prompted at least 12 families to flee the area and spent the night at the barangay’s covered court.

Vargas said the city’s Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) immediately distributed food packs to the families and set up camping tents to provide more comfort for the evacuees as well as preventing them from getting exposed to one another due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Vargas said he has already coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as some of the drainage systems in the city are still too small.

The DRRMO will also initiate cleanup operations of the city’s drainage systems especially as PAGASA has already declared the onset of the rainy season, he added./DGB, WDJ