At least 7 dead in Cebu floods

MANILA, Philippines – Following heavy rains brought by Tropical Depression Crising, at least 7 people were killed in heavy floods in various towns in northern Cebu on Sunday, April 16.

According to reports, 6 of the casualties were from Carmen, Cebu. They were identified as Nicholas Punggutan, 60; Acena Laping, 55; Rowena Acencion, 38; Joyed Acencion, 12; Ivan Acencion, 10; and Bens Ayan Laping, 2. 

The other casualty was from Danao City, Cebu and was identified as Benyang Manulat. 

Rescuers are still searching for two more missing persons in Carmen, where at least 73 houses were reportedly washed out due to nonstop rains. 

Meanwhile, heavy flooding also hit 19 barangays of Cebu City, according to Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management chief Nagiel Bañacia.

“We deployed our quick response teams especially to areas we identified as flood-prone,” Bañacia told Rappler in a phone interview.

Authorities evacuated 40 families in Barangay Talamban and 20 families in Barangay Kinasang-an in Cebu City. The evacuees were also provided with food packs.

Tropical Depression Crising weakened into a low pressure area (LPA) on Saturday evening, April 15, after making landfall in Hernani, Eastern Samar at 6:30 pm that day.

There are no more areas under tropical cyclone warning signals. PAGASA warned, however, that light to moderate rain is still expected in the Visayas, and in the regions of Bicol and Caraga. – with a report from Raisa Serafica / Rappler.com