Floodwaters hit Valencia City due to heavy rains Friday, December 22, swamping fourteen of its barangays during the onslaught of super typhoon “Vinta.”
As of last count, houses of 1,836 families were in floodwaters, but the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) have no figures yet as to how many houses were severely damaged and how many fled their homes.
CDRRMC flash report as of 5:00 p.m. Friday showed typhoon “Vinta” flooded villages of San Isidro, Dagat Kidavao, Kahaponan, Vintar, Catumbalon, Lumbo, Tongantongan, Maapag, Laligan, Mabuhay, Sugod, Maapag, Batangan and Poblacion.
Floodwaters entered houses, flooding them up waist-high pushing them to stay in evacuation centers with the boiling over of Pulangui River and nearby creeks.
Worst hit Barangays were San Isidro and Catumbalon where floodwaters reached 14 feet above ground level.
Valencia CDRRM Officer June Rey Valero said hundreds of well-trained rescuers from Valencia CDRRMC, Karancho Bukidnon, Kabalikat, Valencia City Disaster Emergency Rescue Volunteers, Philippine Red Cross, 8th Infantry Battalion, 403rd Brigade of the Philippine Army, Provincial DRRMC, among other Municipal DRRMCs in the province helped in moving people to safer grounds.
There were no reports of casualties or injuries, but Valero said damage to houses and crops is huge, which prompted them to push Valencia City Council to declare a “state of calamity” amidst Christmas celebration.