Several areas in province hit by flash floods

Three areas in the province were hit by flash floods due to continuous rains since Sunday evening, Irene Bel Ploteña, head of the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said Monday.

Ploteña said flooding hit some parts of Sagay City and Cadiz City, and Barangays Taloc, Tabunan, and Dulao in Bago City.

Ploteña said that residents in the affected areas were evacuated but the PDRMMO has not yet received any data from the different CDRMMOs as of early afternoon.

She added that Tropical Depression Kristine might bring more heavy rains until October 26.

Meanwhile, flooding along Araneta Street in Bacolod, the main thoroughfare of the city caused heavy traffic in the southern area of the city.

Fire Superintendent Jenny Mae Maisip, city fire marshal, said the Bureau of Fire Protection rescued 280 individuals in Brgy. Sum-ag and another 29 individuals in neighboring Brgy. Pahanocoy.

Maisip said the two barangays are flood-prone areas.

“We are continuously monitoring of the areas and ready to launch rescue operations if needed,” she said.

The tropical depression is the 11th tropical cyclone for 2024. It is also the first tropical cyclone to have either entered or formed within PAR in October.

As of 11:00 a.m. Monday, Tropical Depression #KristinePH was gaining strength and moving west southwestward over the Philippine Sea according to PAGASA.

Wind Signal No. 1 was raised in 15 provinces in Southern Luzon, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga. Located 870 km east of Eastern Visayas, Kristine has maximum winds of 55 kph and gusts up to 70 kph.

It was moving west southwestward at 30 kph, with strong winds reaching up to 550 km from its center and expected to intensify and make landfall over Cagayan on Friday morning.

Several local government units such as Bacolod, Sagay, and Cadiz suspended classes. Bacolod also suspended Tuesday’s classes.* (NBCG)