• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Provincial Disaster Management Program Division reported yesterday that 697 houses were either partially damaged or destroyed in Negros Occidental, due to flooding caused by the southwest monsoon enhanced by Super Typhoon Egay.
Of the houses, 40 were destroyed, while 657 were partially damaged, according to PDMPD reports.
The PDMPD also logged two deaths, as a result of drowning incidents in Murcia and Hinigaran.
From July 22 up to 27, PDMPD reported that 13,541 families, composed of 54,041 individuals, were affected by flooding in 93 barangays of Negros Occidental.
Data also showed that 479 families or 1,764 individuals are still staying in various evacuation centers in the towns of Pontevedra, San Enrique, Hinoba-an, Valladolid, Pulupandan, Cauayan, Isabela, Murcia, and the cities of Sipalay, Silay, and Cadiz.
A total of 100 families, composed of 383 individuals, are still staying in Bacolod City evacuation centers, and were given 1,948 food packs, among other assistance from the city government.
Irene Bel Ploteña, PDMPD head, said several residents in Hinoba-an were evacuated due to soil erosion.
As of July 27, Ploteña said they are still continuing monitoring all water tributaries and rivers in the province, although water levels have already subsided to normal levels.
She further added that rains could still be experienced in some parts of the province.*
