SOME areas in Bacolod City were flooded Sunday due to heavy rains brought by Typhoon Helen, which has maintained its strength.
City Disaster Risk Reduction Officer Aaron Bais said the heavy downpour triggered knee-deep floods in the areas of Carvic, Robinsons Place, Villa Valderrama, and Sta. Clara Subdivision in Barangay Mandalagan, Barangay Banago, 19th and 20th-Lacson Streets, Magsaysay Avenue, and Bangga Cory.
He said that a number of commuters and vehicles were stranded, but there was no reported evacuation in the affected areas.
He added that a response team was on stand-by, if there was a need to evacuate.
As of press time, Bais said that flood waters have already subsided.
He said the “drainage could not accommodate the surface run-off,” adding that “engineering intervention” is needed to address the flooding problem of the city.
“We constantly vacuum and clean the drainage to temporarily address the problem, but this can’t suffice. We have a schedule everyday in the barangays,” he added.
The City Government is finalizing a drainage master plan consistent with the master plan of the Department of Public Works and Highways to address the flood problem in the city.
On Sunday, Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number 1 remained hoisted over Batanes and Babuyan Group of Islands, where residents will experience 30-60 kph of winds in 36 hours. Wave heights in these areas will range from 1.25 to four meters, said Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Thunderstorm is affecting Metro Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Camarines Sur and Romblon, the weather bureau added.
Meanwhile, the weather bureau also issued Gale Warning Number 2 to the northern and eastern seaboards of northern Luzon. This means that fishing boats and other small sea crafts were not allowed not to venture out into the sea, while larger sea vessels were alerted for big waves.
Residents in the affected areas were advised to take precautionary measures against heavy rains, strong winds, lightning and possible flashfloods, said Pagasa.
Typhoon Helen is forecast to be at 510 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes by Monday morning and at 255 kilometers north of the same town by Tuesday, September 27.
It will exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Wednesday, September 28. (with reports from Sunnex)