Stranded Cagayan De Oro City residents go home as floods subside

As weather improves in Cagayan De Oro City, residents who were either stranded or evacuated from their homes are being returned to safer grounds, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) said on Tuesday morning.

In an Unang Balita interview on Tuesday, Allan Porcadilla of Cagayan De Oro City CDRRMO said floods have begun to subside in the city.

“Humupa na po 'yung baha dito at wala na pong ulan sa ngayon," Porcadilla said.

Cagayan De Oro City has been placed under a state of calamity early Tuesday morning due to massive flooding brought about by continuous rain.

Evacuation and relief efforts continue, Porcadilla said, especially for those who are still trapped in schools.

"Patuloy pa rin 'yung pag-evacuate natin lalo na 'yung na-stranded sa Mindanao State University namin dito. Patuloy po 'yung pag-evacuate sa kanila. Lahat po ng sasakyan ng AFP, nandoon po talaga 'yun,” Porcadilla said.

"Sa ngayon, halos lahat na po ng pamilya na nailikas natin kagabi ay nakauwi na po sa kani-kanilang mga bahay,” he added.

Despite the improving weather, the CDRRMO is still monitoring any changes in the water level of rivers which may cause additional flooding.

"Minomonitor namin sa ngayon dito 'yung Iponan River kasi kagabi po, tumaas 'yung ilog. Sa ngayon, sa awa ng Diyos, unti-unti nang humupa 'yung ilog. Bumaba na ang tubig,” Porcadilla said.

According to Porcadilla, the city's narrow canals and other waterways may have caused the heavy flooding.

“Ang nangyari po dito sa Cagayan De Oro ay urban flooding. 'Yung mga ilog namin dito, lalo na 'yung Cagayan De Oro River, nasa normal level kahapon. So wala talagang paggalaw ng ilog namin dito,” Porcadilla said.

“Ang nangyari, 'yung mga tubig galing sa bundok, 'yun ang naging sanhi ng pagbaha kasi doon na dumadaan 'yung mga creeks namin dito tapos 'yung mga kanal namin dito ay maliliit. Nagkakaroon ng urban flooding lalong-lalo na 'yung mga basura na nagka-clog sa mga kanal namin,” he added.

To address this issue, the city government of Cagayan De Oro will implement plans to improve the city’s urban planning.

“Isa po sa mga napag-usapan namin doon 'yung urban planning namin. Kino-consider na po 'yun, gagawan na ng plano para po magiging tama na po, maayos na 'yung kanal namin dito,” Porcadilla said. —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News