Due to rains from ‘Auring’: Girl drowns in Toledo river

CEBU, Philippines -   Despite the earlier announcement suspending classes in the province, a high school student drowned on her way to school in Toledo City after falling into a river swollen by rains brought by tropical depression Auring.

The body of Hannah Bea Villaflores, 15, was discovered floating around 10 a.m. yesterday in Sitio Tungkay, Barangay Ibo, around 200 meters away from Barangay Landahan, where she slipped into the river.

Julius Regner, Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office spokesman, said Villaflores was trying to cross the river on her way to school with four other students when she slipped and fell into the water.

Villaflores tried to hold on to a tree but was eventually overpowered by the strong current. Her companions tried to save her but failed.

Regner said the provincial government will investigate why the students went to school despite the suspension of classes in all levels in public schools throughout the province yesterday. He said Villaflores is the first casualty of a flood-related incident in a river this year.

Massive flooding was also reported in several areas in southern Cebu due to heavy rains brought by Auring.

Some residents of barangays Cambang-ug, Matab-ang and Capitan Claudio in Toledo were evacuated yesterday morning to the town's gymnasiums due to floods. Some barangays in Pinamungajan town were also placed under preemptive evacuation.

PDRRMO is still collating data as how many were evacuated in southern Cebu.

In Sitio Kabulihan, Barangay Ilihan, Toledo City, a minor landslide was reported following yesterday's heavy downpour.

PDRMMO Chief Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. said mud and stones blocked the thoroughfare along Sitio Kabulihan, Barangay Ilihan, Toledo City, although the road is still passable. PDRRMO sent a crew to clear the road immediately after the barangay officials called for help.

Meanwhile, strong winds and waves brought a pumpboat carrying 11 passengers to the waters off Boljoon Sunday night after the boat's propeller conked out. All 11 passengers onboard, who were heading to Cebu from a wedding in Bohol, are safe.

The boat sailed despite the advisory prohibiting small boats from sailing as storm signal number 1 was hoisted over Cebu.

"Nipugos g'yud sila og sakay bisan wa'y gipabyahe. It was a bad decision endangering their lives. Dili mag kompyansa unta," Tribunalo said.

No sail lifted

Lapu-Lapu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer Andy Berame said passenger and tourist boats are now allowed to ply to Olango Island from mainland Lapu-Lapu.

His statement came after the Coast Guard told them they already lifted the no-sail advisory earlier.

"Lifted ang signal. Okay na ang Coast Guard, ug nihatag og signal nga pwede na makabiyahe padung Olango," said Berame.

Berame explained that from being a tropical depression, typhoon Auring became a low pressure area when it made landfall. What the city experienced is only scattered rains and winds that are not considered as typhoon.

As the tropical depression weakened, Berame said there will be no heavy contingency plans intended for this matter.

Following the lifting of the advisory of the Coast Guard, strong winds were still felt past noon at the Hilton Wharf in Barangay Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City.

Police Officer 3 Reynaldo Aradaza, also of City Public Safety Company and the Barangay Peacekeeping and Safety Officers of Punta Engaño, went to the said wharf, after seeing some pumboats playing their routes in the middle of strong winds.

As to the reports that a motorized banca allegedly hit the shore in Sitio Mangal, Punta Engaño, last Sunday, Aradaza said no such incident happened.

Contingents delayed

Because of the weather disturbance, the arrival of the out-of-town contingents for the Sinulog Grand Parade in Cebu City will be delayed.

Sinulog Foundation, Inc. executive director Ricky Ballesteros said the contingents from Catbalogan City and Tangub City were set to arrive in the city last Sunday but the trips going here were cancelled because of tropical depression Auring.

"Supposedly, maabot na unta gahapon (Sunday). Ang Catbalogan natanggong sa Ormoc. Ang Tangub sad natanggong pud," he said.

Ballesteros said there are only four out-of-town contingents that will be participating on Sunday's Grand Parade --Catbalogan City, Tangub City, Lanao del Norte, and Dumaguete City.

Tribu Katbalaugan of Catbalogan City posted on its Official Facebook Page that the group will be cancelling the trip because of the tropical depression.

"I just hope and pray nga all our out-of-town contingents will arrive in the city nga safe lang pud," Ballesteros said.

He said Lanao del Norte and Dumaguete City contingents will arrive on Wednesday.

Weakened

According to the state weather bureau, Cebu Province was spared the worst of Auring yesterday as the tropical depression weakened after passing Bohol.

PAGASA-Cebu chief Alfredo Quiblat, Jr. said storm signal number 1 was lifted from Cebu past 10 a.m. yesterday (January 9).

He said tropical depression Auring was supposed to make its third landfall in southern Cebu particularly in Sibonga town at 2 p.m. but it had weakened due to the interaction with Bohol's landmass. Thus, its classification was downgraded to a Low Pressure Area.

To note, tropical cyclones get their main energy source from the heat from the sea but this may be disrupted when its circulation interacts with land.

"It (tropical depression Auring) has weakened after it crossed northern Bohol. Its intensity has weakened due to its interaction with land," Quiblat said.

He further explained that every land-falling tropical cyclone has its individual characteristic and is unique on its own --while there are some may maintain intensity despite interaction with landmass, others also tend to weaken after reaching land just like Auring.

Still with the presence of a Low Pressure Area yesterday, Quiblat said Cebu province experienced gloomy weather with intermittent drizzle and rain.

Meanwhile, Fr. Ric Anthony Reyes, secretariat to the 452nd Fiesta Señor, called the incident a divine intervention.

"I look at it as a grace from God, as an intervention from God, not only for the faithful and devotees here in Cebu but also for all the people in the Philippines that continue to pray for the intention that He will protect us from any potential disaster," he said. -with Christell Fatima M. Tudtud, Jean Marvette A. Demecillo, and May B. Miasco (FREEMAN)