‘Dante’ causes landslides, floods in Cebu; no deaths

CEBU, Philippines —  Six fishermen were rescued, many areas were submerged in floods, and some landslides were reported in Cebu as tropical storm Dante barreled through the eastern seaboard of the country Tuesday evening.

The good news, at least, is that no one had been reported dead or injured.

The substation of the Philippine Coast Guard in Tudela, Camotes Islands rescued the six fishermen who ventured to the sea despite the inclement weather.

Tudela Mayor Greman “Jojo” Solante, in his Facebook post, wrote that the motorbanca FBCA Roldan was swept away by huge waves to Fr. Joseph Weirtz Bayview Park located at the back of PCG Tudela Substation in Barangay Southern Poblacion past 8 p.m. Tuesday.

The substation identified the six rescued fishermen as Arturo Nipaya, 46; Jenny Agbay, 18; Ardie Dumdom, 29; Jay Michael Agbay, 26; Nestor Marcado, 26; and Petronilo de Gracia, 25, all residents of Baliwagan in Balamban town.

They had been sailing the waters of Danao since 5 a.m. that day to go fishing.

“Mga alas otso pa sa buntag ug lawod sa Danao sila nabalian na og ehe sa makina samtang uwan ug bawod ang ilang nasugatan. Wala sila kabalita nga gipaubos na sa Signal No. 1 ang northern Cebu tungod sa bagyong si Dante sa ilang paggikan,” Solante narrated what Nipaya told authorities.

All six were safe and were taken care of by the local government.

Some towns in Cebu province also experienced flooding because of the heavy rains that “Dante” dumped.

In Consolacion, residents in some areas of barangays Cansaga, Latasan, Pitogo, Larat, and Jugan Laray experienced waist-deep floodwaters.

Danilo Capangpangan, head of Municipal Engineering's Office in Consolacion, said there were riverbanks near these areas that overflowed.

In Danao City, some residents were also evacuated because of the floods. The city government’s social media account posted photos of some residents of Barangays Taboc, Maslog, Looc, Guinacot and Poblacion who were rescued from the floods.

There was no headcount yet as to how many individuals were evacuated.

Other Cities

In Lapu-Lapu City, the inclement weather forced 48 individuals and children to stay overnight in a modular shelter in Angasil Wharf and others in Barangay Mactan gymnasium as initiated by City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO).

City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) head Annabeth Cuizon said the city distributed towels to the evacuees. The latter were also served dinner that night and breakfast in the morning for the stranded individuals bound to Olango Island.

DRRMO head Nagiel Bañacia said there were no reported injuries or casualties in Lapu-Lapu City.

In Talisay City, Mayor Gerard Anthony “Samsam” Gullas said with the lifting of the storm signal,

the city, through the recommendation of the disaster office head, decided to reopen the Manipis-Toledo Access Road back to motorists.

Gullas said City Disaster head Alvin Santillana informed him that the debris caused by a landslide on Tuesday had already been cleared.

The mayor thanked his barangay officials and CDRRM personnel who worked even in the wee hours of the night just to monitor the safety their mountain barangays and coastal areas.

“Even though we were not hit directly by the storm, it goes to show that our officials are no longer complacent when it comes to disaster preparedness. Makita na gyud nga dili nata mukompyansa basta mangandam ta ug katalagman,” the mayor said.

In Cebu City, the situation on Tuesday night was manageable, according to City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) officer-in-charge Ramil Ayuman.

Based on initial report, five landslides were reported— one each in Barangays Guadalupe, Buhisan, and Pulangbato, while two in Barangay Talamban. The CDRMMO is already conducting an assessment.

“Manageable ra kaayo… Dako kaayo’g tabang sad ang atong partners from the mountain barangay especially sa atong mga barangay responders,” said Ayuman.

Ayuman said they received reports that the rivers in Lahug and Kinalumsan overflowed.

“But the good thing, bisan pa taas-taas ang gidugayon sa uwan, naay nioverflow but dili gyud siya kanang the unusual gani nga nahitabo katong October last year. Katong naa gyuy namatay. Mao nang lipay kaayo ta sa atong situation kagabii ug karong buntag,” he said.

On Tuesday, at least 81 passengers were stranded at Cebu City ports — 57 in Pier 1 and 24 in Pier 3.

They were provided food assistance by the Department of Social Welfare Services.

Evacuations were also undertaken in barangays Bacayan and Talamban due to an uprooted mahogany tree and a landslide, respectively.

In Sitio Sugarlandia in Bacayan, two houses, three families, and 13 individuals were affected, while in Sitio Cadahuan in Talamban, one house was partially damaged with one family affected.

Still cloudy

Metro Cebu and the rest of the province are expected to experience partly cloudy to at times cloudy with rainshowers or thunderstorms kind of weather today until the next three days.

This was based on the 24-hour weather forecast and extended weather outlook issued at 5 p.m. yesterday by state weather bureau PAGASA.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, the center of Dante was estimated based on all available data in the vicinity of Victoria, Oriental Mindoro (13.2°N, 121.3°E) with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 90 km/h. It is moving West Northwestward at 15 km/h.

Moderate to strong winds from the northwest to southwest will prevail over the western section of Visayas, Palawan, including Kalayaan Group of Islands, and Occidental Mindoro with moderate to rough seas.

Moderate winds from the southwest will prevail over the rest of the Visayas with moderate seas.  — Mary Ruth R. Malinao and Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, JMD (FREEMAN)