Fishermen rescued, some Cebu areas flooded in wake of 'Jolina'

CEBU, Philippines —  Some areas in northern Cebu were flooded and some fishermen were rescued due to the onslaught of severe tropical storm Jolina yesterday.

In the northernmost town of Daanbantayan, at least five fishermen, among them one who had been reported missing since Monday night, were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Victor D'Osep Tancawan, chief of the Daanbantayan Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said that the missing fisherman, Marcus Dejito Sr., 42, was able to safely return home in Barangay Malbago at 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Tancawan said Dejito’s pumpboat outrigger or “katig” was damaged by huge waves.

Two other fishermen – Jessie Naraja, 41, and Pedro Lagahit, 55 -- were also rescued at 10:45 a.m. yesterday in the seas off Barangay Maya. The strong currents drifted their pumpboat away to Barangay Tapilon, all the way to Maya.

In Barangay Bagay, two fishermen who ventured into the sea despite the inclement weather were also rescued morning yesterday.

Due to the heavy rains, some parts of northern Cebu were also swamped.

In Barangay Poblacion, Borbon town, the flood reached one meter deep, according to Engr. Rodrigo Tecson, chief of the LDRRMO.

Tecson said the waters started to rise at around 3 a.m. Tuesday and the rains began to ease only after two hours.

“Naa (mga residente) sa may Poblacion, nihawa sa sila sa ilang mga balay ug niadto sa taas nga bahin sa yuta pero ilang mga butang nabahaan gyud,” he said.

The strong winds also felled some trees to the roads, although town personnel quickly cleared the debris later.

The good news was that no one was reported missing or hurt in Borbon.

In Bogo City, six barangays were also flooded, including Bungtod, La Purisima Concepcion, Polambato, Taytayan and Don Pedro. The floodwaters gathered at some portions of the roads, rendering them impassable to some vehicles for a few hours.

Cornelio Saberon, rescue and planning officer of DRRMO in Bogo City, said there were no reported injuries, fatalities or missing persons. Nevertheless, a few individuals and rolling cargoes were stranded in the port of Polambato.

In the neighboring San Remigio town, at least 68 individuals bound for Bantayan Island were stranded at the Hagnaya port.

In Tabuelan town, 14 houses were engulfed by the flood in Barangay Bongon, although the Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office said the waters eventually subsided a few hours later.

As of yesterday’s 11 a.m. weather bulletin of PAGASA, the following areas in Cebu were placed under tropical cyclone wind signal number 1: Cebu City, Mandaue City, Daanbantayan, Medellin, Santa Fe, Bantayan Islands, City of Bogo, San Remigio, Tabogon, Borbon, Tabuelan, Sogod, Tuburan, Catmon, Carmen, Danao City, Asturias, Compostela, Camotes Islands, Liloan, Consolacion, and Balamban

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, severe tropical storm Jolina was estimated based on all available data 60 km west northwest of Masbate City, Masbate or 90 km east of Romblon, Romblon (12.6°N, 123.1°E). It packed maximum sustained winds of 100 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 125 km/h, and central pressure of 996 hPa. — JMD (FREEMAN)