Rising water level alarms residents in low-lying barangays
After typhoon Frank devastated Iloilo City last year, both the City Disaster Management Team (CDMT) and residents in low-lying barangays in the districts of Jaro and La Paz have indeed improved. Yesterday’s effort of the crisis management team cautioning residents of a possible flooding after the water level at the Jaro River reached 5.5 meters was a sign of disaster preparedness.
CDMT head Engr. Joe Papa, however, said the water level has not reached its critical level. They did not send a distress signal but they have alerted the residents in case the water level continue to rise. The critical water level which calls for forced evacuation of families living along the waterways and riverbanks is 6 meters.
The city disaster management team has played a major role in the disaster preparedness particularly in flooding. Much emphasis is given in its monitoring effort at the Jaro River.
Once the water level increase in Jaro River, barangays Simon Ledesma, San Roque, Desamparados, Democracia, Arguelles, Ma. Christina, Fajardo, Taytay Zone, Fatima, Calubihan, Commission Civil and portions of Central Philippine University are affected by flood waters.
Papa said they are constantly monitoring the water level and has established contacts with the volunteer groups in the towns of Cabatuan and Maasin in case the water level in the said towns also build up. Three hours after the team received information from them, the water level in Jaro River is also checked. The heavy downpour was experienced in some parts of Iloilo late Tuesday night and early dawn of Wednesday.
As part of their emergency response preparation, the CDMT has two standby trucks to evacuate the affected residents in Jaro and La Paz. The Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) hall of Jaro was also used as standby post in case of evacuation.
Meanwhile, classes in the elementary and high school level at Central Philippine University was canceled after ankle-deep and gutter-deep waters reached the school.
There were also some families from Simon Ledesma who moved to safer and higher grounds after ankle-deep waters started to inch their houses. They are expected to return home after the water subsides. A resident said they decided to leave their homes to make sure they are safe. They do not want to wait until the waters have already enveloped their homes.