Floods prompt evacuation in Davao City, Cebu Province, Aklan amid heavy rains

Over a thousand of residents were evacuated from their homes due to the flooding caused by the heavy rains in Cebu Province and Davao City, reports on GMA News’s Unang Balita said Wednesday.

In Cebu Province, around 200 residents of Barangay Poblacion in Sogod town were evacuated to a church due to the threat of the up to neck-deep flood.

Some landslide incidents were also reported in Sogod, the municipal disaster risk reduction management office said.

Power interruption was also experienced.

Around 1,000 residents in the town were affected.

In Aklan, the traffic in Makato town went heavy due to the flood. In Madalag, some residents kept on cleaning graves ahead of Undas despite the rains as cemeteries will be closed from October 29 to November 2.

According to a report of GMA Regional TV Davao’s Jandi Esteban, around 100 families were evacuated to a gymnasium after the Talomo River swelled in Davao City.

Rescue teams enforced a forced evacuation of the affected residents because some of them were refusing to leave their homes despite the risk.

Some residents saved their farm animals from the flood as they evacuated.

At 2 a.m. on Wednesday, the evacuees returned to their houses after the flood subsided in their area. 

The Office of Civil Defense XI reported at least 2,215 people or 596 families were affected by the flooding incident in 15 barangays in Davao City.

Around 415 people or 142 families were staying inside nine evacuation centers, while 482 individuals or 120 families were taking shelter in the homes of their relatives and friends.

A landslide incident was reported in Barangay Tigatto, where six houses were damaged. Affected families were evacuated at San Isidro Labrador Chapel. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News