Amid Mandaue City flood risks, habagat rains, disaster team watchful

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Mandaue City’s disaster management team continues to monitor weather conditions and flood-prone areas as intermittent rains brought by the southwest monsoon or “habagat” are expected to persist in the coming days.

City official Buddy Alain Ybañez said that the Mandaue may continue to experience occasional heavy rains and thunderstorms. He heads the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).

During the heavy downpour on Thursday afternoon, July 30, several roads in Mandaue City were flooded, including portions of Lopez Jaena Street, A.S. Fortuna Street, A.C. Cortes Avenue, and M.C. Briones Street.

While intermittent rains do not mean continuous rainfall throughout the day, Ybañez said these may still trigger flooding in low-lying areas.

Staying alert for Mandaue City flood risks

Ybañez said that the CDRRMO remains on alert and continues to coordinate with barangay emergency response teams to monitor communities and keep residents informed of weather conditions.

“Padayun monitoring, rekorida. Atoa gyud pasabton ang mga tawo na ting-uwan na, habagat. Ang atoa lang dili mokompiyansa. Makita man nato, masinati nga mokalit bundak ang uwan unya moinit. Naa sad tay nasinati nga El Niño, kung mouwan panagsa ra pero kusog,” said Ybañez in an interview.

(Keep monitoring and going around to inform people. We need to make people understand that it’s the rainy and southwest monsoon season. We cannot let our guard down. We’ve seen how quickly heavy rain can fall, followed by sunny weather. We’re also going through El Niño. It doesn’t rain that often but it’s heavy when it does.)

Drainage obstructed

He added that the same flood-prone areas continue to experience flooding during heavy rains. However, floodwaters have been subsiding more quickly than before.

Meanwhile, residents of a compound along M.L. Quezon Street in Barangay Cabancalan raised concerns over recurring flooding in their community.

Kristin Cagara said that their compound has become a catch basin whenever heavy rains occur because the natural waterway behind their area has been obstructed.

She said the series of heavy rains last weekend caused floodwaters to remain in their compound until Tuesday, July 28.

That forced residents to continuously use water pumps and improvise a raft so that children and other residents could cross the flooded area.

Cagara also raised concerns over possible health risks from stagnant floodwater, including the spread of mosquitoes, leptospirosis, and water-borne diseases, as rains continue to affect the city.

City, barangay sent pumps

“Kami magbantay gyud mi permi hala nibundak na sad, ningitngit na sad..Nagneed gyud mi og help. Moingun sila private pero part mi sa komunidad dili man sad sa amo gikan tubig,” said Cagara.

(We’re always watchful, especially when it rains or gets overcast. We need help. Even if this is a private compound, we’re part of the community, too. That water didn’t come from us.)

She said that the barangay and the city government sent additional pumps to help drain the stagnant water.

Barangay Cabancalan Captain Francis Karlo Remedio said that the barangay is coordinating with concerned parties, including a nearby establishment, to reopen the blocked waterway and restore the natural flow of water.

Enduring Mandaue City’s floods

“Akoang gi-estoryaan (company) nga ilaha lang ablihan bisan gamay lang para continuous ang agas at the same mabahin ang agas sa tubig, atoa gyud gitagaan og pagtagad kay grabe….Ang maayo gyud ani matagaan og solution og drainage project sa siyudad,” said Remedio.

(We spoke with a company and asked them to open the area, even just a little, so the water can keep flowing and also be split up. We paid attention because this is serious. The best way forward is to find solutions and introduce a drainage project here withy the city’s support.)

He added that the barangay has also coordinated with the city government and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to improve nearby drainage systems.

Remedio said that around 30 households in Adolfo Compound endured the flooding, while an estimated 40 to 50 houses in a nearby subdivision also experienced flooding.

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