By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Torrential rains brought by the southwest monsoon or “habagat” enhanced by Typhoon “Goring” has already affected over 80,000 individuals in Negros Occidental.
As of 5 p.m. yesterday, a total of 25,709 families or 82,594 individuals were affected by flooding in 128 barangays from 16 towns and cities in the province, data from the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD) showed.
Of the number, 2,715 families or 8,771 individuals were displaced and staying in various evacuation centers, while 2,342 families or 9,551 individuals were staying someplace else such as the houses of relatives or friends.
According to Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz, as of yesterday morning Valladolid town has the highest number of affected individuals at 14,935 while La Carlota City and Talisay City each recorded 96 individuals affected.
In Bago City, floodwaters displaced around 8,000 residents as of yesterday.
The PDMPD added that 16 houses in the province were totally damaged while 41 were partially damaged.
Acting governor, Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, has released an order yesterday morning placing the entire province under a “blue alert” status due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by “Goring.”
Ferrer ordered the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, Provincial Veterinary Office, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Provincial Engineer’s Office, and the Provincial Health Office (PHO) to send one of their representatives to the Emergency Operations Center of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
On the other hand, the PDMPD, together with the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade, and Bureau of Fire Protection, will handle search, rescue and retrieval operations in the affected areas.
The provincial government also released an advisory urging residents who are exposed to floodwaters to be cautious over leptospirosis.
Residents are advised to avoid wading in floodwaters. If not possible, they must wear gloves and boots in order to avoid getting exposed to floodwaters and to make sure that there are no pests, such as rats, in their surroundings.
Those who are exposed to floodwaters must immediately seek consultation with their local physician so that they can get access to anti-leptospirosis drugs such as doxycycline./DGB, WDJ