300 families evacuated, 1 person missing due to heavy rain in Cebu

At least 300 families were evacuated in Cebu Province, while one person is reported missing due to heavy rainfall on Wednesday, December 2.

According to the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, as of 12 noon Wednesday, the evacuees were from the northwestern town of Balamban with 140 families; Asturias, 156 families; and Danao City 24 families.

The municipality of Tuburan also reported massive flooding in 13 of its barangays.

The heavy rain in the province was due to the trough or extension of a low pressure area as well as the tail-end of a frontal system.

from Cebu 3rd District provincial board member John Ismael Borgonia

The Cebu PDRRMO said the rain started pouring at around 4:20 am Wednesday. The continuous rain overflowed the water systems in the province, said the agency.

Meanwhile, the Danao City Police Office said it received a report at around 9 am Wednesday of an unidentified man aboard a motorcycle being swept away by flood waters in one of the city’s mountain barangays.

A search and rescue operation composed of members of the Danao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, SAFARI and the police was underway.

Also Wednesday, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said they would ask the Department of Public Works and Highways to check ongoing slope protection and flood control projects for 2021.

In case there are no DPWH flood control projects, she said she would direct the Provincial Engineering office to “address” the problem immediately.

“Obviously, this is caused by the overflow of the rivers. So, that will have to be addressed when it comes to flood control. Ang (it’s the) river slopes niani (here that) will have to be addressed,” she said. – Rappler. com