10-foot waves swamp Iligan City; hundreds evacuated

ILIGAN CITY - Residents in several coastal villages in Iligan City fled their homes after 10-foot waves destroyed their homes Tuesday evening. Local radio reports said Brgys. Dalipuga, Sta Filomena, Tibanga, Saray, Barangay Poblacion, Tambakan and Tomas Cabili were affected by the unusually high waves, forcing the evacuation of residents from these villages. Some 500 families were affected by the high waves, although no casualties were reported. Local resident Pepeto Montaner said the waves that hit the villages reached 10 feet high and lasted from 9 p.m. Tuesday until 1 a.m. Wednesday. Cirilo Dicalar, a barangay tanod, told GMANews.TV that his house near the Iligan Bay was totally wrecked by the waves. He said they failed to recover any of their belongings that were left inside their house. Pacificador Lluch Jr, Iligan City administrator, said the City Social Welfare and Development Office had already been directed to extend relief assistance to affected villages. Armando Edroso, team leader of Rescue 811 of the City Disaster Coordinating Center had also dispatched rescue personnel to the affected areas. Authorities are also closely watching the two creeks that overflowed as a result of the high tide. Last week, Iligan City was placed under the state of calamity due to floods brought by strom “Lando" (international name: Hagibis) that displaced 15,000 residents. - GMANews.TV