Capiz welcomes new year with flash floods, landslide
ROXAS CITY – Residents of several barangays in six towns in the first and second districts of Capiz never enjoyed their New Year's eve as their homes were submerged by floodwaters brought by continuous rains.
Reports from the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) revealed that 10 brgys in Cuartero were hit by flash flood; 16 barangays in Sigma; 12 in Dao; 14 in Panitan, and 8 in Pontevedra.
Cuartero Mayor Roger Flores told The News Today (TNT) that landslide also occurred in four barangays in their town.
Flores estimated the damaged in terms of agricultural crops in the amount of P5 million pesos as of Friday last week.
Capiz Governor Victor Tanco, Sr. on Friday convened the PDCC at the provincial capitol to initiate measures to help the affected families.
The 2nd Engineering District sent heavy equipment to clear the landslide in Cuartero and in Sta. Rita, Dumalag, Capiz.
Mrs. Ana Ganggoy of Office of the Civil Defense-Department of National Defense (OCD-DND) and Major Arnold Talabucon of PDCC initially reported that the families and persons affected by the flash flood numbered 393 families in Dao; 322 families and 2,008 persons affected in Panitan; 730 families, 4,380 persons in Cuartero; 18 families and 73 person in Pontevedra. The figure is expected to increase since the water in Panitan and Pontevedra has yet to subside as of press time.
The PDCC meeting was also attended by Department of Health, Philippine National Red Cross, Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippine Coast Guard, Kabalikat Civicom and other concerned government agencies.