• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez is convening the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council and other stakeholders on January 6, to outline long and short term solutions to the recent flooding incidents that hit Victorias City, Negros Occidental.
Benitez said that sustained rains since December 22 caused flooding in some parts of Victorias City, with eight families in Barangay 21 being evacuated on Dec. 27. All of the affected families were attended to by the City Social Welfare and Development Office.
As of yesterday, the flood waters have already subsided.
This is the first flooding of this magnitude that we experienced, despite the progress we made through drainage system improvements, dredging, and flood control operations that we started in 2022 under our city’s Dredging Project, according to Benitez.
Through this initiative, we implemented the widening, clearing, and desilting of waterways in the Malihaw and Magnanud Rivers, Guinpanaan and Maagmang Creeks, and their tributaries, the mayor said.
Victorias, as a natural catch basin, is among the other northern municipalities and cities that were affected by the prolonged heavy rains and high tide.
While floodwaters have receded, it is observed that our drainage is hampered by the current harvest season, which limits the water absorption usually provided by crops. As a result, a bigger volume of floodwater converged at the lower than sea level areas in city centers, Benitez also said.
With this development, the mayor said he cancelled the New Year’s celebration on January 1 to focus on community service and drainage reinforcement.
We will mobilize stakeholders and volunteers to clear drainage canals, assess the track of floodwater, and identify potential water egress points. Benitez said.*
