10:00AM 01/27/11

Disaster team on alert

GOVERNOR Edgar Chatto has placed a Capitol based rescue and evacuation team on 24 hour standby to be dispatched to any town needing disaster and relief assistance in the light of the ongoing rains which has been falling since yesterday noon. 

Any town needing disaster relief operations may call on the team, said Board Member and SO peace and order chair Brigido Imboy.

This as the Municipal Tactical Operations team in Clarin town reports the flooding almost breaching the national highway along Barangay Bacani, which may render the road impassable by vehicular traffic.

On the other part of town, big trees falling into the river at barangay Candajec leading to Barangay Buangan is similarly reported.

Reports also said that this may disrupt the water flow and cause the clogging of the river, thus diverting the flow to flood other areas.  

In the next mountain town of Sagbayan, flooding has been reported in the roads leading and out of Sagbayan via Catigbian, text reports from the town said.

A mountain town located about 50 kilometers away from Tagbilaran and around 10 kilometers from the coastlines, Sagbayan town center is noted to be a valley that can be inundated as a rainwater catchment collecting run-off from the nearby hills.

In a text message, Sagbayan Mayor Ricardo Suarez reported that flooding in the town center is reaching into the public market and municipal hall grounds.

Also, access roads leading to Sagbayan can be difficult to maneuver by cars as flooding is noted in several portions.

In Tubigon, town disaster workers are also closely monitoring Bateria River as a subtle rise in the water was noted, said town information officer Raymond Delgado.

He also added that another river from the mountain barangays and emptying into the Macaas water catchment is also monitored having had histories of flashfloods. (racPIABohol)