CLASSES in all levels, both public and private schools, and work in all government offices in Bacolod City are suspended Friday, August 3, due to expected heavy rains.
Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, citing Presidential Executive Order 66, made the announcement after meeting with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and Department of Education on Thursday, August 2, a press release from the city public information office stated.
The CDRRMO said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecast more than 90 percent chance of rainfall the whole day Friday.
The CDRRMO reported that Thursday afternoon, the accumulated rainfall from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. reached 72.8 millimeters (mm), which is equivalent to three to four days of rains.
Leonardia does not want the public to get stranded in the floods.
Moreover, the heavy downpour on August 2 has triggered floods in several barangays in Bacolod.
Executive Assistant Jose Maria Vargas, cluster head for CDRRMO, said the floods started around 3:40 p.m. in the areas of Barangay 16, Magsaysay Flyover, Education and Training Center School Campus, Araneta Highway, Bacolod Adventist Medical Center in Barangay Taculing, Bangga Patyo, City Health Office compound, Tay Tung High School, BDO Lacson Street, Libertad Public Market, Lupit Church, 12th and 6th Streets.
The floods also affected Barangays 4, 8, 10, 11, 21, 35, and Tangub, Lopue's East, Burgos Public Market, the area of L' Fisher and Circumferential Road.
Vargas said the floods stranded many commuters and vehicles. Rescuers were deployed to various areas.
DRRMO rescuers were also deployed to Barangay 10 for possible evacuation, but the affected families refused to leave their homes.
Vargas said that due to strong winds, a tree toppled in Barangay 21 and damaged two houses.
He said in Barangay 8, there was a waist-level flood, adding they requested the Central Negros Electric Cooperative to shut down the power in the area.
DRRMO also requested the barangay officials to assist the affected families within their areas of jurisdiction to ensure their safety.
Vargas said the high tide occurred at 9:53 p.m. and they are on full alert status.
Vargas said that as of 8 p.m. Thursday, the floods subsided in some areas of Bacolod, but they are still monitoring the high-risk areas,
No casualties were reported. (VoxPop Bacolod)
