4 Negros Occidental LGUs declare state of calamity due to flooding
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines — One city and three towns in Negros Occidental have declared a state of calamity due to the flooding caused by the southwest monsoon.
The LGUs are La Carlota City and the towns of Valladolid, San Enrique, and Hinigaran.
Based on data from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), 56,502 families or 205,230 individuals have been affected by the monsoon rain, impacting 261 villages in 25 LGUs, as of September 20.
According to the latest data, 1,854 families or 7,936 individuals remained in evacuation centers, while 617 families or 1,986 individuals are staying outside these centers, either with relatives or friends.
San Enrique town was the first to declare a state of calamity on Monday, September 16, as 29,000 residents had been displaced by the flooding.
In Hinigaran, Mayor Nadie Arceo said that the flooding affected over 20,000 residents, prompting the declaration of a state of calamity on Wednesday, September 18. La Carlota City made its declaration on the same day.
Valladolid was placed under a state of calamity on Friday, September 20.
An Inquirer report quoted Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Lacson as saying that the provincial government is looking into a declaration of a province-wide state of calamity.
The days of continuous rain also caused flooding in southern Negros Occidental, prompting calls for watershed rehabilitation.
Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENR) officer of Negros Occidental, said that the swelling of the Ilog-Hilabangan River caused flooding in Kabankalan City and neighboring towns and cities, displacing thousands of residents on Tuesday night, September 17.
Gerangaya emphasized that the Ilog-Hilabangan River faces a serious threat due to the degradation of its forest reserve.
The absence of proper forest cover would definitely lead to unrestrained rainwater flow, which can cause severe flooding, he said.
The PDRRMO has updated the agricultural losses in the province to P149.7 million, affecting 160 villages. Rice, corn, and other high-value crops account for the majority of these losses, totaling P146.1 million. Fisheries and livestock losses amount to P1.78 million and P1.77 million, respectively. – Rappler.com