AS of this writing in the early evening of December 23, Saturday, a total of 31, 375 members of 6,614 families in Davao City affected by floods due to the tropical storm Vinta have been evacuated by city and national government agencies to safe places.
The evacuees were brought to evacuation centers located at Ma-a Elementary School, UM Matina Campus, Brokenshire College Gym, San Rafael Gym, Bankerohon Gym, SIR Phase 2 Gym, Upper Madapo Gym and Uyanguren Gym in the Furst Congressional District, DMMA in Buhangin, Buhangin Gym, Lasang Barangay Hall, Mandug Gym, Waan Gym, El Rio Gym in the Second Congressional District, and Bantol Gym, Tamugan Gym in barangay Tamugan, Barangay Dominga — House of Barangay Captain Lomandas, Barangay Lampianap and Dumalag Elementary School in the Third Congressional District.
Many of the people affected are from Davao City’s barangays 2-A, 5-A, 10-A and 19-A as a result of the overflowing of the Davao River on Friday night. Other victims people are from El Rio Subdivision, Jade Valley and low-lying areas of Barangay Mandug.
A Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that several low-lying areas in the city were flooded especially those near the major riverbanks in the city.
Thousands of houses went under water while a number were reportedly washed away by the raging flood current.
Residents of Jade Valley in Buhangin allegedly partly built on a dried-up river bed were trapped in their houses as the rise of floodwater was abrupt.
Rescuers were immediately dispatched to affected villages. Even Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go helped in the rescue of trapped residents Friday evening.
Go rode a jetski as he made rounds on the houses with trapped residents and ferried them to safety.
Aside from the possibility of drowning though, residents of Jade Valley also fear encountering crocodiles after one resident took a video of a crocodile swimming in the flood in the flooded subdivision.
Jade Valley is located near the Crocodile Park in Maa. It was not clear though if the said crocodile actually came from the said park.
The City Government of Davao have already set up 18 evacuation centers all over the city to accommodate the 6,614 families who were affected by the flooding.
The tropical storm hit the east coast of Mindanao with a wind of 125 kilometers per hour which brought torrential rains to many parts of the island.Days earlier, Davao City Mayor Sara D. Carpio directed anti-disaster offices and relief unit under her command to get ready for the onslaught of tropical storm Vinta.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod under Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte has given food packs and sacks of rice to the victims. Representatives Karlo Alexei and Jericho Nograles, Mylene G. Albano and Alberto T. Ungab also mobilized their resources to come to the aid of their respective constituents victimized by the floods.
City Information Officer Jefry Tupas said private companies or individuals wanting to donate food for the victims may drop their donations at the Davao City Hall in order to ensure that the items will be distributed systematically to the validated victims.
However if the donor wishes to personally distribute their donations the City Government of Davao suggests that they should coordinate with the people who manage the evacuation centers so that the distribution may be done in an orderly manner, he said.
For more information you can contact the City Government Operations Center Landline at (082)224 3004, Mobile 0917 162 0146 and you can email them at davaocitymayor@gmail.com. With a report by Ben Tesiorna/PNA.
